How to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest Naturally at Home

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Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Dr Sania Datta, last updated on 31 January 2023
How to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest Naturally at Home

Cardiac arrest cases have risen in India, especially in the last few months. What’s worse is that most cardiac arrests happen suddenly. Nevertheless, many cardiac arrests, even if they happen suddenly, are preventable if people make themselves aware of the cardiac arrest prevention methods. 

This article will explain how to prevent cardiac arrest with the best cardiac arrest prevention guide. Further, it will also talk about the definition, symptoms and reasons of cardiac arrest in detail.

What is a Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest or Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a medical condition in which the heart suddenly stops functioning. 

The heart possesses an electrical system that administers the heartbeat. Sometimes, this electrical system develops a problem. This, in turn, leads to irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmia. Most of the time, arrhythmia is harmless. But in some cases, it can lead to cardiac arrest.  

During cardiac arrest, the patient loses consciousness. The condition must be treated within minutes, otherwise the patient could die. Hence it is crucial to learn about cardiac arrest prevention. If people knew how cardiac arrest could be prevented, it would save many lives. 

Cardiac arrests often happen without any pre-warnings. However, a few people experience the following symptoms:

  1. Difficulty in breathing
  2. Loss of self-consciousness
  3. Discomfort in chest
  4. Dropping in pulse rate
  5. Sudden collapse
  6. Weakness
  7. Heart beating at a very high pace.

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Importance of Cardiac Arrest Prevention

Cardiac arrest is a serious medical emergency that can be life-threatening. When the heart stops functioning properly, it can cause a number of serious problems, including:

  1. Lack of blood flow to the body: When the heart is not pumping blood effectively, the body's tissues and organs do not receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly. This can lead to organ damage and failure.
  2. Loss of consciousness: Cardiac arrest can cause a person to lose consciousness quickly. If not treated immediately, this can lead to brain damage or death.
  3. Increased risk of death: Cardiac arrest can be fatal if it is not treated promptly. Even if treatment is given, the chances of survival are significantly reduced if the person has experienced cardiac arrest for a longer period of time.

Therefore, it is important to prevent cardiac arrest whenever possible in order to reduce the risk of these serious complications and improve the chances of survival.

How can you Prevent Cardiac Arrest?

Due to inactive lifestyle and heart diseases, excess fat and cholesterol (called plaque) builds up in the arteries. This condition is termed as atherosclerosis. With time, the plaque may burst. Thus, causing a cardiac arrest. Hence, one of the major points for cardiac arrest prevention is the prevention of cholesterol in the body. This could be achieved with an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. Apart from that, consider these things for cardiac arrest prevention:

Lifestyle Changes 

  1. Quit smoking: Smoking increases the chances of cardiac arrest by 2 to 4 times. The chemicals present in a cigarette may form a blood clot and cause a heart attack. Hence, it is strongly suggested to quit the habit for cardiac arrest prevention. 
  2. Regular exercise: Regular physical activity helps you burn those extra fats and cholesterol. They train your heart to be strong and enduring as well. Engage in light exercises like yoga, cardio, jogging for cardiac arrest prevention. 
  3. Limit the consumption of alcohol: Consuming excessive alcohol results in high blood pressure. Again, blood pressure results in strains on the heart. Therefore, stop alcohol for cardiac arrest prevention. 
  4. Manage chronic conditions: If someone has a chronic condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, it is highly suggested to follow the treatment plan and take the prescribed medications for cardiac arrest prevention. 
  5. Take proper sleep: Improper sleep leads to high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, take a proper sleep of around 7 to 8 hours for cardiac arrest prevention.

Healthy Balanced Diet

A healthy balanced diet is helpful in cardiac arrest prevention: 

  1. Focus on whole grains, nuts, vegetables, legumes, fish, and extra virgin olive oil and fruits. 
  2. Along with it, adequate quantities of eggs, poultry, and low fat dairy products should also be included.  
  3. Limit/ prohibit sugar, red meat, processed foods, and refined carbs.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

CPR is one of the most famous techniques for cardiac arrest prevention. CPR is an emergency method through which a patient may survive during a cardiac arrest. In CPR, chest compressions and mouth to mouth breathing is provided to the cardiac arrest victim. This can help the cardiac arrest patient stay alive until the ambulance arrives. Knowing CPR can save one’s life during a cardiac arrest. 

There are 3 steps in CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ). These are as follows:

  1. Compression
  2. Airway
  3. Breathing

The most crucial step in CPR is compression. Compression helps to restore the blood flow of the patient. 

Here’s how one can perform compression:

  1. Make the patient lie on his back.
  2. Sit down next to the patient’s shoulder and neck.
  3. Place the heel of one hand over the center of the patient’s chest.
  4. Place the next hand on the first one. Ensure the elbows are straight and the shoulders are located directly above the hands.
  5. Now compress the patient’s chest up to 5 cm (2 inches). But remember that the compression must not go beyond 6 cm (2.4 inches).
  6. Use the entire body weight for giving compression. 
  7. Perform 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

If the person providing CPR is trained, he/ she can also perform the next two steps of CPR, i.e. opening the airway and mouth-to-mouth breathing. 

Note: Do CPR only if the patient has no heart beat and is not breathing.

Following these cardiac arrest prevention steps reduce the risks of experiencing cardiac arrest. However, it is important to note that cardiac arrest can occur suddenly and without any warnings. The disease can be seen even in people, otherwise seen as healthy. Therefore, regular checkups are highly recommended. 

It is advised to treat heart diseases at the earliest for cardiac arrest prevention. Here are some heart diseases one should seek treatment for: 

  1. Coronary heart disease: It is a disease in which the heart doesn’t receive oxygen-rich blood due to blockage in the coronary artery (artery supplying blood to the heart). 
  2. Congenital heart disease: It is a defect present from the birth of an individual. One of the main congenital heart diseases is the defect in the structure of the heart. 
  3. Cardiomyopathy: It is a disorder in which it becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body.

When to see a Doctor?

If one feels the symptoms of a cardiac arrest, such as heart beating at a very high pace or fatigue, they should seek urgent medical care. 

In addition, people who have cardiovascular diseases must talk to a heart specialist to learn how to prevent cardiac arrest. 

Furthermore, people who are involved in sports, especially basketball, and those who are old age must go for regular screening for cardiac arrest prevention.

Takeaway

In today’s stressful life, knowing how to prevent cardiac arrest is essential. For cardiac arrest prevention, never ignore the symptoms of a cardiac arrest. For instance, fast heart rate, fatigue, unconsciousness, etc. Moreover, it is a must to talk to your doctor if you have any heart-related disease. This may help prevent cardiac arrest. However, sometimes the cardiac arrest comes without any pre-warning. Hence, undergoing heart screening tests once a year is highly recommended.

If you or your loved ones experience any symptoms of a cardiac arrest, talk to a heart specialist at the earliest. You can also talk to our expert team of doctors at HexaHealth. The consultation call is absolutely FREE. Register NOW.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you prevent cardiac arrest?

To prevent a cardiac arrest:

  1. Call the medical emergency immediately.
  2. Take medications like aspirin.
  3. Take a chest pain prescription. 
  4. Remove tight clothing.
  5. Relax your mind and sit at a calm place.
  6. If the heart attack victim is not breathing, perform CPR.

What foods prevent cardiac arrest?

The best foods for cardiac arrest prevention are fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies have low fat and cholesterol. Foods containing whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry, and vegetable oils also help in cardiac arrest prevention.

Are there warning signs before cardiac arrest?

There are some warning signs before a cardiac arrest, such as:

  1. Dizziness
  2. Heavy breathing
  3. Lack of breathing
  4. Feeling of uneasiness in the chest
  5. Sudden rise in the heartbeats. 
We should pay immense attention to these signs of cardiac arrest.

Who is at risk for cardiac arrest?

People in their old age are at higher risk of cardiac arrest; still, there has been a surge in patients under 70. Other factors that put a person in higher risk of developing cardiac arrest are as follows:

  1. Obesity
  2. Heavy smoking
  3. Excessive alcohol consumption 
  4. No physical activity
  5. Coronary artery disease

Can drinking water prevent heart attacks?

Consuming enough liquids to stay hydrated allows the body to function properly, including your heart. Drinking enough water reduces the chances of getting any heart attacks in the future.

Can you feel a silent heart attack?

Yes, you can feel a silent heart attack. In a silent heart attack, the patient usually doesn’t feel any chest pain, sweaty palms, or shortness of breath. Thereupon making it difficult to prevent a heart attack.

Can aspirin stop a heart attack?

Yes. Low doses of aspirin, from 75 mg to 100 mg, can help prevent heart attacks or strokes. Aspirin has an anti blood clotting action. Therefore, taking aspirin works on the blood clot. Thereupon, making the blood flow easier to the heart.

Will a heart attack wake you up?

Yes, you'll wake up from your sleep due to uneasiness, pain, and lack of breathing. However, most heart attacks happen in the morning. This is because, in the morning, the body prepare itself for the entire day. Sometimes, this puts extra pressure on the heart and leads to a heart attack.

Can a heart attack resolve itself?

A heart attack, in some cases, can resolve itself. But it may return. Hence, it is best advised to visit the nearby hospital and get a proper medical checkup.

What is a mini heart attack feel like?

Mini heart attack feels like

  1. Chest pain
  2. Chest tightness 
  3. Uneasiness in breathing. 

You may also feel cold sweat on your palms and other body parts

What is a pre-heart attack?

Pre-heart attack is the phase that occurs weeks or hours before the actual heart attack. During a pre-heart attack, you may feel shoulder or arm pain, weakness, trouble breathing, and uneasiness.

How do I know if my heart is healthy?

You can go for regular pulse checkups. The pulse rate shows the rate at which your heart is beating every minute. Furthermore, you can talk to a heart specialist. The doctors will probably ask you to undergo an ECG.

How can I check my heart health at home?

You can easily check your pulse rate at home by the following method: 

  1. Place your fingers on your wrist 
  2. Then count the heartbeats in 10 seconds
  3. After that, multiply the number by 6.

This is how you can get a rough estimate of your pulse rate.

What drugs prevent heart attacks?

Statins are medicines used to lower the amounts of cholesterol and fats in the blood. This, in turn, lowers the chances of a heart attack. Apart from that, aspirin is helpful too.

How do you know if your heart is unhealthy?

The following points indicate that your heart is unhealthy:

  1. Shortness of breath during physical activity or even at rest
  2. Fatigue or weakness
  3. Irregular heartbeats

Updated on : 31 January 2023

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Dr Sania Datta

Dr Sania Datta

BDS (Panjab University) I MBA Hospital & Health Management (IIHMR Jaipur)

8 Years Experience

She is a high-impact healthcare management and medical content professional with enriching work experience in Parexel, HexaHealth Technologies, Apollo Munich, Credihealth and Fortis Hospital. Armed with deep and c...View More

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