The significance of American Heart Month is not that it is a time of intensified effort - the search for expanded knowledge, new treatments, new medicines and new technologies is always intense. Rather, American Heart Month is significant because it is a time for all Americans to acknowledge the ongoing efforts of the American Heart Association and other noteworthy health organizations to reduce the deadly risks and consequences of heart disease and stroke. The theme for American Heart Month 2001 is Be Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies. Know the signs of cardiac arrest. Know the signs of cardiac arrest in order to recognize a medical emergency when it occurs.
Cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and dramatically.
When the heart goes into cardiac arrest, the heart's electrical impulses become chaotic. This irregular heart rhythm, called ventricular fibrillation, causes the heart to stop suddenly. During cardiac arrest, a victim loses consciousness, stops normal breathing and loses pulse and blood pressure . Cardiac arrest can be caused by several factors, including heart attack, electrocution, drowning or trauma, or it can have no known cause. CPR can help keep the cardiac arrest victim alive until emergency help arrives.