Search Media Items

Sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency. A person having sudden cardiac arrest needs to be treated with a defibrillator to send an electric shock to the heart right away to restore normal heart rhythm. Use of automated external defibrillators and CPR can be performed by bystanders. If you survive sudden cardiac arrest, you’ll likely be admitted to the hospital for ongoing care and treatment.

Ventricular fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia, causes most sudden cardiac arrests. Other problems with the heart's electrical system, including diseases or conditions that can cause the electrical problems—such as coronary heart disease, physical stress, certain inherited disorders, and structural changes in the heart—also can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Nearly all diseases result from a complex interaction between an individual’s genetic make-up and the environmental agents that he or she is exposed to.

Doctors diagnose a stroke by reviewing your signs and symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and results from one or more tests: brain computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT or magnetic resonance arteriogram, carotid ultrasound, carotid angiography, electrocardiogram (EKG), echocardiography, and blood tests.

The signs and symptoms of a stroke vary. They often develop quickly and may include sudden weakness, paralysis, confusion, trouble speaking, changes in vision, trouble breathing, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and a sudden severe headache. After you’ve had a stroke, you may develop other complications such as blood clots, muscle weakness, problems swallowing, pneumonia, and loss of bladder control.

Age, race, gender, certain medical conditions—high blood pressure, diabetes, brain aneurysms, and heart diseases—smoking, and family history can raise your risk for a stroke.

Buildup of plaque and blood clots causing blockage of an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain can cause an ischemic stroke, while sudden bleeding from causes such as high blood pressure can result in a hemorrhagic stroke.

The major types of stroke are ischemic (when an artery to the brain becomes blocked) and hemorrhagic (when an artery in the brain leaks blood or breaks open).

Dioxins are mainly byproducts of industrial practices. They are produced through a variety of incineration processes, including improper municipal waste incineration and burning of trash, and can be released into the air during natural processes, such as forest fires and volcanoes.

Strategies to help you quit include getting ready to quit, using support, asking for medicine and using it correctly, learning new skills and behaviors, and preparing for withdrawal and relapse.