CARDIAC ARREST IN CHILD AND YOUNG- ITS CAUSES, RISKS AND TREATMENT
CARDIAC ARREST IN CHILDHOOD AND YOUNG ADOLESCENT
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency which requires immediate medical attention. with cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood effectively to whole of our body including brain. To understand the whole thing one should know what is sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) means an unexpected death caused by a cardiac event, typically occurring within one hour of the onset of symptoms. SCD is more common in middle age and elderly people, which is mostly due to a block in one of your heart blood vessel. least commonly it occurs in young adolescents and child. The reson having cardiac arrest in these younger group are different.
Various conditions causing cardiac arrest in young are listed here :
1.CARDIAC- CORONARY/ISCHEMIC = MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, CORONARY DISSECTION, ARTERIOSCLEROSIS, ARTERITIS.
2. NON ISCHEMIC CAUSES ARVC, BRUGADA SYNDROME, LQTS, SQTS, CPVT, HCM(MC STRUCTURAL),DCM, MYOCARDITIS(COXSACKIE B VIRUS), LV NON COMPACTION, ARVC(mc SOME PARTS)
3. NON- CARDIAC CAUSES = NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS ICH, ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE, METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE DERANGEMENT.
so broadly, there are two groups. one where there is a problem with your heart muscle and other where there is a normal heart anatomy. The only problem here is a heart rhythm disorder which is genetic. although both conditions are genetic. both having different diagnostic and treatment approach. it is important to screen the first degree relative for this disease under consideration. the family transmission in this gentic disease is mostly autosomal dominance, meaning only one copy of affected gene is required to have this disease to transmit in children from their parents. No doubt, with cardiac arrest, immediate CPR is required to save the life of person. CPR should be a high quality CPR, to achieve the effective blood circulation throughout the body including brain. Those who dont servive, they undergo post mortem study to find out the cause of cardiac arrest. in some cases, we may find heart muscle disease related condition, or anatomical problems. but approx. 30% of cases are autopsy negative meaning thier heart during autopsy looks normal. In these cases, molecular biopsy(genetic test) is needed with persons blood. if it comes positive for any gentic disease then family screening becomes important to prevent such episode in younger member of family.