Cardiac arrest happens when your heart stops beating or beats so fast that it stops pumping blood. During cardiac arrest, people typically collapse and become unresponsive. Symptoms start without warning. This is why people also call it sudden cardiac arrest.

During cardiac arrest (cardiopulmonary arrest), your heart isn’t pumping blood anymore. Within minutes, this puts your organs and whole body at risk of death because they must constantly receive oxygen. Your blood delivers that oxygen.

Emergency treatment includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation. CPR and defibrillators may save your life.