Cardiac arrest during sleep
The risk of suffering a cardiac arrest during sleep is particularly increased in persons with a pronounced cardiac insufficiency. While during the day the blood follows the force of gravity when sitting or standing and partially sinks into the legs, during sleep it flows back to the heart due to the lying position. This can lead to an overload of the heart, which in turn can cause cardiac arrest.
Another cause of cardiac arrest during sleep is the so-called sleep apnea. It occurs mainly in snoring persons and refers to nocturnal breathing stops. These breathing pauses can last for several minutes, resulting in a lack of oxygen.
This lack of oxygen can have fatal effects on already weakened and/or overtaxed heart cells. Under certain circumstances, they cease to function, which leads to cardiac arrest. Since a cardiac arrest is not always accompanied by pain, nobody notices the arrest, especially at night. As a result, the necessary first aid cannot be given quickly and death as a result of the cardiac arrest is much more likely than during the day. If you suffer from sleep apnea, then read up on how it can be treated: How sleep apnea is treated
What is a reflex cardiac arrest?
Reflective cardiac arrest is caused by excessive irritation of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve and plays a decisive role in the regulation of many internal organs and thus also has an influence on the function of the heart. If there is excessive stimulation, the vagus nerve reduces the function of the heart to such an extent that cardiac arrest can occur.
Possible causes can be a blow to the solar plexus (for example, in the pit of the stomach), a blow to the side of the neck or even immersion in very cold (<4°C) water. The so-called bolus death is also based on a reaction of the vagus nerve. In this case, a foreign body that is too large (often not enough chewed food) gets stuck in the throat or accidentally enters the trachea. This leads to an irritation of the pharyngeal wall and thus to an excessive reaction of the vagus nerve.
All articles in this series:
- Cardiac arrestCirculatory arrest
- What are the signs/precursors of cardiac arrest?
- Cardiac arrest during sleep
- Is it possible to suffer a cardiac arrest despite having a pacemaker?
- What does resuscitation look like in the event of cardiac arrest?
- What are the consequences/consequential damages of cardiac arrest?
