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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Cardiac arrest

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈkɑːrdiæk əˈrest/nounCore term

In medicine, cardiac arrest means: A sudden stop in the heart's pumping, so that blood no longer reaches the brain and other organs; without immediate CPR it causes death within minutes.

In Turkish: kardiyak arrest, kalp durması

How it is used

Hospital teams respond to a cardiac arrest call (a '2222 call' in UK hospitals). The person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Doctors talk about shockable and non-shockable rhythms and the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

Example sentences

  1. He went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance, and the crew started CPR.

  2. Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, although a heart attack can cause one.

Common collocations

  • go into cardiac arrest
  • in-hospital cardiac arrest
  • out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
  • cardiac arrest call
  • CPRShort for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: chest compressions, usually with rescue breaths, given to keep blood flowing when someone's heart has stopped.
  • myocardial infarctionDeath of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is suddenly blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery; the medical name for a heart attack.
  • intensive care unitA hospital unit with special equipment and highly trained staff for critically ill patients who need close monitoring or organ support, such as a ventilator.
  • on callAvailable to be contacted and to come and help if needed, especially outside normal working hours, such as at night or at weekends.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.