Archives: Clinical

How will I know someone is having a cardiac arrest?

You will not know for sure, which is why an AED is so important. Someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest will be unresponsive, not moving and not breathing. The heart will have stopped pumping blood around the body, so someone suffering a cardiac arrest will lose consciousness almost immediately and will also show no…

Is a cardiac arrest the same as a heart attack?

No, the term heart attack is often used by mistake to describe a cardiac arrest. A heart attack is when a blockage prevents blood getting to the heart. This causes death of the heart muscle, not necessarily the death of the person suffering a heart attack. A heart attack might lead to a cardiac arrest,…

Can an AED be used on a pregnant person?

Yes. A mother will need to be resuscitated if a unborn baby is to survive.