Cardiac Arrest

A cardiac arrest, also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest, is the abrupt cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively during systole.

What is Cardiac Arrest?

A cardiac arrest is also called a cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest and indicates a sudden stop in effective and normal blood circulation due to failure of the heart to pump blood.

Heart attack and cardiac arrest difference

Cardiac Arrest Prognosis

Cardiac Arrest Prevention

Cardiac Arrest Ethical Issues

What is Lazarus Syndrome (Autoresuscitation)?

Cardiac Arrest Treatment

Latest Cardiac Arrest News and Research

Naloxone provides life-saving tool to reverse opioid overdoses

Anyone can save a life during an opioid overdose with naloxone, a front-line defense in the nation's overdose crisis.

16 Jun 2026

Synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarettes link to abnormal heartbeats

Synthetic cooling ingredients added to e-cigarettes caused abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) and increased cardiovascular risk measures in mice and lab-grown human heart cells, according to new independent research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

15 Jun 2026

NWSL and American Heart Association expand CPR awareness efforts

To raise awareness of CPR, the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) today unveiled the 2026 Nation of Lifesavers NWSL Ambassador Class during National CPR and AED Awareness Week, held annually from June 1-7.

4 Jun 2026

Seven-second X-ray scan detects severe pulmonary valve regurgitation with high accuracy

Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a simple, rapid, and low-radiation X-ray technique that can evaluate the severity of a heart condition known as pulmonary valve regurgitation-a common and clinically significant complication after surgical repair of a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot.

4 Jun 2026

Millions live with undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders – World Heart Rhythm Week 2026 calls for urgent action

Millions of people worldwide are living with undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders that can lead to stroke, heart failure or sudden cardiac death – often with little or no warning.

1 Jun 2026

Denzel Ward encourages lifesaving Hands-Only CPR action across Cleveland

Cleveland Browns cornerback and American Heart Association Nation of Lifesavers™ NFL Player Ambassador Denzel Ward is taking his impact beyond the field and into the heart of the city appearing on new billboards across Cleveland for National CPR and AED Week, June 1-7 annually.

29 May 2026

Study reveals right ventricle better tolerates oxygen loss during cardiac arrest

A study led by scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) provides new insights into ventricular fibrillation (VF), the most dangerous type of cardiac arrhythmia.

29 May 2026

Artificial intelligence models show high accuracy in cardiac care

Cardiac arrest remains one of the most urgent and unforgiving medical emergencies, where every minute can determine survival and neurological recovery.

26 May 2026

ChatCPR instructor delivers near-perfect CPR guidance in proof-of-concept study

A proof-of-concept JAMA Internal Medicine study found that widely available AI models could deliver many guideline-concordant CPR instructions in simulated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest scenarios. A purpose-built AI agent, ChatCPR, achieved higher checklist-based adherence than baseline AI models and dispatcher-assisted CPR instructions, but prospective real-world validation is still needed.

20 May 2026

New wristband algorithm detects sudden cardiac arrest with high accuracy

A smart-technology wearable wristband device may be able to automatically detect cardiac arrest, which could lead to faster medical assistance and increased survival odds when cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, according to new research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Heart Association.

19 May 2026

New EMS initiative aims to strengthen lifesaving emergency communication networks

When someone experiences cardiac arrest, a heart attack or a stroke, reliable communication between dispatch, EMS crews and receiving hospitals can mean the difference between life and death.

19 May 2026

ChatCPR system shows promise for improving emergency cardiac arrest response

A new study from scientists at the University of California San Diego in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, and other institutions, demonstrates that an artificial intelligence-powered CPR coaching agent can outperform 911 dispatchers in guiding bystanders through cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

19 May 2026

AI models predict sudden cardiac arrest risk using health records

Researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) models that can scrutinize electronic health records (EHR) and electrocardiograms to identify individuals in the general population at elevated risk for sudden cardiac arrest - a condition that causes more than 400,000 U.S. deaths annually and has a survival rate of only 10%.

13 May 2026

Delayed adrenaline use linked to fatal childhood food anaphylaxis

Fatal delays in administering life-saving adrenaline autoinjector (EpiPen) for food anaphylaxis, a severe and rapid allergic reaction, is highlighted in research being presented at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Conference today [28 April].

27 Apr 2026

New biorepository approach advances research on sudden cardiac arrest

A cutting-edge University of Cincinnati College of Medicine study has shown how emergency medicine researchers can partner with community emergency medical services nationwide to investigate the causes of sudden cardiac arrest.

24 Apr 2026

Elite footballers show ancestry-related differences in cardiovascular evaluation

Elite footballers of Black ethnicity show important ancestry-related differences in cardiac adaptation.

24 Apr 2026

Early heart pump use improves survival in patients experiencing cardiogenic shock

Findings from the Can Escalation Reduce Acute Myocardial Infarction Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock (CERAMICS) registry demonstrate that early use of a small heart pump improves outcomes in patients experiencing a severe form of heart failure called cardiogenic shock after suffering from a heart attack and undergoing a stenting procedure.

23 Apr 2026

Treatment goals guide cardiogenic shock care more often in women

New findings from the Northwell-Shock Registry show that while women with acute myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) are less likely to receive invasive treatments, clinical decisions are driven by objective markers of illness severity rather than sex.

23 Apr 2026

Tirzepatide significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients

Two new studies show that tirzepatide, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA), significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients, including those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and those with obesity undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

23 Apr 2026