Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month: Would You Know What to Do?
Written by Shelley Lynch, DNP, NP-BC, APRN, CCRN
Someone suddenly collapses at home, at work, or in a public place. They do not respond when you call their name. Their breathing has stopped or sounds like irregular gasping.
Would you know what to do next?
October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, an opportunity to learn more about this life-threatening emergency and the actions that can give someone a chance to survive. More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and approximately 9 in 10 people do not survive. A large percentage happen at home, which means the person who needs CPR may be a family member, friend, or someone else you know.
Sudden cardiac arrest cannot always be predicted, but everyone can become better prepared to recognize it and respond.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack: What’s the Difference?
Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack are not the same medical emergency.
A heart attack is generally a circulation problem. It occurs when a blockage reduces or stops blood flow to part of the heart, damaging the heart muscle. The person is often conscious, and the heart usually continues beating.
Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem. It occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart to stop pumping blood effectively to the brain and other vital organs. The person typically collapses, becomes unresponsive, and stops breathing normally.
The two conditions can be connected. A heart attack can sometimes trigger sudden cardiac arrest, but not every heart attack leads to cardiac arrest, and not every cardiac arrest begins with a heart attack.
How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest often occurs with little or no warning. A person experiencing it may:
Collapse suddenly
Lose consciousness
Stop responding to voices or touch
Stop breathing normally
Gasp or make irregular breathing sounds
Gasping should not be mistaken for normal breathing. These abnormal breaths, sometimes called agonal gasps, can occur during cardiac arrest. Mistaking them for signs that the person is still breathing may delay lifesaving action.
If someone is unresponsive and is not breathing normally, assume it is a cardiac emergency and act immediately.
Emergency Response Steps: CPR & AED Guidelines for Massachusetts Bystanders
The steps taken during the first few minutes can influence what happens next. You do not need to be a healthcare professional to begin helping.
1. Check for Responsiveness and Normal Breathing
Tap the person and shout to see whether they respond. Look for normal breathing. Do not spend valuable time trying to determine exactly what caused the collapse.
2. Call 911
Call 911 immediately or direct someone nearby to make the call. If you are alone and have a mobile phone, put it on speaker so you can begin helping while the dispatcher provides instructions.
Be specific when assigning tasks. Rather than shouting, “Someone call 911,” point to a person and ask them directly. This reduces the chance that everyone assumes someone else has called.
3. Begin CPR
If an adult or teen suddenly collapses and is not breathing normally, begin Hands-Only CPR by pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest.
CPR helps circulate oxygen-containing blood to the brain and other vital organs until emergency responders arrive or a normal heart rhythm can be restored. If you have completed formal CPR training, follow the techniques taught in your course.
4. Find and Use an AED
Ask someone to retrieve an automated external defibrillator, commonly called an AED, if one is available.
Many people hesitate to use an AED because they are unfamiliar with the equipment or are afraid of delivering a shock incorrectly. AEDs, however, are designed so members of the public can use them during an emergency.
Once the AED is turned on, it provides step-by-step spoken instructions. It tells the responder where to place the adhesive pads, when to stop touching the person, and when to resume CPR. The device analyzes the heart rhythm and only advises a shock when one is appropriate.
You do not need to diagnose the rhythm yourself. Turn on the AED and follow its prompts.
5. Continue Until Help Arrives
Continue CPR and follow the AED’s instructions until emergency medical professionals take over, the person begins showing signs of life, or you are physically unable to continue.
Why Cardiac Arrest CPR Is Usually Personal
Cardiac arrest is frequently associated with hospitals, athletic fields, airports, and other public places. In reality, a large percentage of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.
That changes the way we should think about CPR training.
Learning CPR is not only preparation to help a stranger. It may prepare you to respond when a spouse, parent, child, friend, neighbor, or coworker collapses.
Emergency medical services should always be called immediately, but professional responders cannot be everywhere at once. The person already on the scene becomes the first link in the response.
Overcoming Bystander Hesitation During a Medical Emergency
Even when people recognize an emergency, they may hesitate because they:
Fear performing CPR incorrectly
Worry about causing an injury
Are uncertain whether the person is truly in cardiac arrest
Do not feel confident using an AED
Assume someone more qualified will step forward
These concerns are understandable, but doing nothing carries the greatest risk. A person in cardiac arrest is already experiencing a life-threatening emergency. Calling 911, beginning chest compressions, and using an AED can help maintain blood flow and give the person a chance until advanced care arrives.
Training reduces uncertainty. It allows you to practice the response before you are faced with a real emergency.
Locating Public AEDs in Greater Boston & Local Workplaces
AEDs are found in many workplaces and public locations, including:
Schools
Gyms and recreation centers
Athletic facilities
Houses of worship
Community centers
Airports and transportation hubs
Office buildings
Stores and restaurants
Pay attention to AED signs in the places you visit regularly. Employers and facility managers should make sure AEDs are clearly marked, accessible, properly maintained, and known to staff.
An AED cannot help if no one knows where it is or is willing to use it.
Turn Awareness Into Action: Get CPR Certified in Quincy, Bridgewater, or Newton Center
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month is a reminder that knowing the statistics is only the beginning. Preparedness requires action.
You can take practical steps now:
Complete a CPR and AED training course
Encourage family members and coworkers to become trained
Locate AEDs where you work, exercise, worship, or attend events
Ask whether your workplace has an emergency response plan
Make sure AEDs are visible and maintained
Refresh your CPR skills regularly
Discuss known heart conditions and risk factors with family members
Reading about CPR can improve awareness, but it cannot replace hands-on practice. Instructor-led training gives you the opportunity to perform compressions, practice using an AED, receive feedback, and build confidence.
Community & Healthcare CPR Classes Across Massachusetts
ACLS Academy offers emergency-response training for community members, workplace teams, and healthcare professionals.
For members of the public: Heartsaver® CPR, AED, and First Aid courses teach essential skills for responding to cardiac arrest and other emergencies before professional help arrives.
For healthcare professionals: Basic Life Support training develops high-quality CPR, ventilation, AED use, and team-response skills for clinical environments.
For advanced healthcare providers: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support builds on BLS with rhythm interpretation, airway management, medications, team leadership, and post-cardiac arrest care.
ACLS Academy also provides group, corporate, and on-site training for businesses, schools, healthcare organizations, and community groups that want to prepare their teams together.
Schedule Your CPR & AED Certification in Quincy, Bridgewater, or Newton Center
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, often without warning. The person standing nearby may have only minutes to recognize the emergency, call 911, begin CPR, and use an AED.
You may never expect to be that person. With the right training, however, you can be prepared to act.
Register for CPR, AED, BLS, or advanced cardiovascular training with ACLS Academy.
Learn More
Explore additional ACLS Academy resources about cardiac arrest, heart attacks, rapid intervention, and the actions that can improve a person’s chance of survival.
Cardiac Arrest in the News with Recent Athlete and Celebrity Medical Incidents
Explore how high-profile cardiac emergencies brought greater attention to sudden cardiac arrest, immediate CPR, and the important distinction between cardiac arrest and a heart attack.
How Much Do You Know About Heart Attacks vs. Cardiac Arrest?
Test your knowledge with a true-or-false quiz covering symptoms, causes, AED use, and the differences between these two cardiac emergencies.
Why Some Cardiac Arrest Victims Survive, and Others Don’t
Learn how early recognition, immediate CPR, rapid AED use, and the Chain of Survival can influence a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest.
ACLS Academy is a leading American Heart Association Training Center and AHA All-Star Training Center award winner offering high-quality emergency-response and healthcare certification courses in Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center, Massachusetts. Guided by our “For Providers, by Providers” philosophy, we offer Heartsaver CPR and AED, First Aid, BLS, ACLS, ACLS EP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS, ASLS, NRP, TNCC, ENPC, Stop the Bleed, Bloodborne Pathogens, Fetal Heart Monitoring, and AHA instructor training. Group, corporate, and on-site courses are also available for workplaces, schools, healthcare organizations, and community groups. Browse our catalogue of courses.