Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is death due to a cardiovascular cause that occurs within one hour of the onset of symptoms. A sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating or is not beating sufficiently to maintain perfusion and life.
Coronary artery disease causes most cases (80%) of sudden cardiac death. In people who are younger, congenital (since birth) heart defects or genetic abnormalities in their heart's electrical system are often the cause. In people age 35 and older, the cause is more often related to coronary artery disease.
The five causes of sudden death discussed in this article are: fatal arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction, intracranial hemorrhage/massive stroke (cerebrovascular accident), massive pulmonary embolism and acute aortic catastrophe.
Cardiac arrest is defined as a sudden loss of blood flow resulting from the failure of the heart to pump effectively which disrupts heart's pumping action and stops blood flow to the entire body. If not treated immediately, sudden cardiac arrest can potentially lead to death.
Most people experience feelings of numbness, shock and disbelief in the hours and first few days following a sudden death. "It can't be true." "I can't believe this is happening." It is common for people to feel confused, dazed, bewildered and unable to comprehend what has happened.
Most people who are dying feel tired. They may want to sleep more often, or for longer periods. They may want to talk less, although some may want to talk more. They may want to eat less or eat different foods since their stomach and digestive system are slowing down.
Much depends on your cause of death and whether you have access to pain medications. For instance, you may die suddenly and experience no pain at all. Often, dying bodies fight to survive. The survival instinct programmed into our bodies can feel painful without medications.
Treatment. Half the deaths from a heart attack occur in the first 3 or 4 hours after symptoms begin. It is crucial that symptoms of a heart attack be treated as a medical emergency. A person with these symptoms should be taken to the emergency department of a hospital in an ambulance with trained personnel.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.
A heart attack may strike suddenly, but most people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks beforehand. One of the earliest warning signs of an impending heart attack is chest pain, or angina, that occurs repeatedly because of exertion and is then eased by rest.
Stress is unlikely to be fatal for most people, but prolonged exposure to stress can lead to mental and physical health problems, including death in severe cases. But dying from stress is unusual and is likely the result of a heart attack or another cardiovascular issue.
The most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest is an irregular heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation. Rapid, erratic heart signals cause the lower heart chambers to quiver uselessly instead of pumping blood. Certain heart conditions can make you more likely to have this type of heartbeat problem.
Common injuries that cause death in car accidents include traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, broken ribs, or spinal cord injuries. These types of damages typically occur due to head-on collisions, driver- or passenger-side impacts, or rollovers caused by driver negligence or reckless behavior.
Though similar to angina chest pain, a heart attack is usually a more severe, crushing pain usually in the center or left side of the chest and is not relieved by rest. Sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, or severe weakness may accompany the pain.
When cardiac arrest occurs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be started within two minutes. Effective CPR, if started immediately with a witnessed arrest can have positive outcomes. By nine minutes, severe and permanent brain damage is likely. After 10 minutes, the chances of survival are low.
Both a sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack are serious medical emergencies and can be life-threatening conditions. However, cardiac arrest is typically more severe, as it can result in death within minutes if proper medical care is not provided.
Most people having a heart attack do not die immediately, but some do. This is usually from a too-fast heart rhythm (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation), but can also be from a heart attack-induced very slow heart rhythm, or from the heart just not being able to pump because too much of it is being damaged.
Visions and Hallucinations
Visual or auditory hallucinations are often part of the dying experience. The appearance of family members or loved ones who have died is common. These visions are considered normal. The dying may turn their focus to “another world” and talk to people or see things that others do not see.
Other problems such as breathing, insomnia, nausea and bowel issues are experienced less often and typically improve as death approaches. Contrary to popular perceptions, people in their final days and hours experience less pain and other problems than earlier in their illness.
A conscious dying person can know if they are on the verge of dying. Some feel immense pain for hours before dying, while others die in seconds. This awareness of approaching death is most pronounced in people with terminal conditions such as cancer.
Harry Potter : [He turns to Sirius] Does it-does it hurt? Dying? Sirius Black : Quicker than falling asleep.