Cardiac arrest: What to do?

Brief overview

  • What to do in case of cardiovascular arrest? Call rescue service, resuscitation
  • Cardiovascular arrest – causes: e.g. heart attack, cardiac arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, near drowning or suffocation, poisoning
  • Cardiovascular arrest: What does the rescue service do? Cardiac massage, rescue breathing, defibrillation, medication, treatment of the underlying disease.

Cardiovascular arrest: What to do?

In the event of cardiac arrest (cardiovascular arrest), the affected person must receive help as quickly as possible. Because after only a few minutes without blood supply, the cells of the brain begin to die! As a first aider, you should therefore start resuscitation immediately.

Resuscitation in the event of cardiac arrest

  1. Check consciousness and breathing: See if the patient is responsive and still breathing (check if head is slightly hyperextended; remove foreign body from mouth and throat if necessary).
  2. Alert rescue service: If not already done, call the ambulance immediately or ask someone else present to do so.
  3. 2 x rescue breaths: After 30 compressions, ventilate the patient twice (either mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose).
  4. 30:2 cycle: Continue the 30:2 cycle (30 x chest compressions and 2 x rescue breaths alternately) until the emergency physician arrives or the patient is breathing on his own again. Alternate with another first aider if possible.
  5. Defibrillation if necessary: If there is an automated external defibrillator (AED) nearby, you can also use it for resuscitation. If necessary, ask someone to fetch the device while you resuscitate the patient yourself as described above.

For more detailed instructions on how to resuscitate adults, see the Resuscitation article. For more information on resuscitating children (especially infants and toddlers), see the article Resuscitation in Children.

If you are afraid of giving breaths, then just do chest compressions. This is better than nothing. In addition, there is often still oxygen-rich air in the lungs of the unconscious person. Cardiac massage pumps oxygen with the blood to the brain.

Resuscitation: What you should bear in mind

  • For the correct frequency during chest compressions, you can follow the rhythm of the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees or “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake.
  • The use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), such as those readily available in many public places, should never delay or replace chest compressions!
  • When using the defibrillator, follow the voice instructions or written instructions provided by the device.

Cardiovascular arrest: Causes

Cardiovascular arrest can have several causes, such as:

  • Myocardial infarction (major cause of cardiovascular failure).
  • Coronary artery disease (CAD)
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • severe heart failure (cardiac insufficiency)
  • abnormally enlarged heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy)
  • acute pulmonary embolism
  • obstruction of the airways by inhaled foreign bodies such as water (drowning) or small objects (foreign body aspiration)
  • Respiratory arrest due to failure of the respiratory center in the brain (e.g., cerebral hemorrhage) or paralysis of the respiratory muscles (e.g., spinal cord injury)
  • Shock due to massive blood loss (in case of accident with multiple injuries = polytrauma)
  • severe hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)
  • intoxication (alcohol, illegal drugs, etc.)

Cardiovascular arrest: when to see a doctor?

Cardiovascular arrest is a life-threatening emergency. You must therefore always alert the emergency physician! Medical assistance is still required even if you successfully resuscitate the patient before the ambulance arrives (i.e., heartbeat and breathing resume).

Cardiovascular arrest: What does the doctor do?

The physician or paramedic will perform what is known as advanced life support (ALS). These include defibrillation, administration of medication and securing the airway. Basic resuscitation, i.e. cardiac massage and ventilation, is maintained by the physician or paramedic for as long as necessary. Then the patient is taken to the hospital as quickly as possible. The cause of the cardiovascular arrest must be clarified and treated as necessary.