cardiac arrest

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. abrupt cessation of heartbeat.

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cardiac arrest British  

noun

1. failure of the pumping action of the heart, resulting in loss of consciousness and absence of pulse and breathing: a medical emergency requiring immediate resuscitative treatment

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cardiac arrest Cultural  

1. See heart attack.

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Etymology

Origin of cardiac arrest

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

After seeing his friends get into difficulty, he jumped into the River Great Ouse to help save them, but later suffered a cardiac arrest and drowned.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

He went into cardiac arrest while at the hospital and required three rounds of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Pilgrims perform most of the hajj's rites outdoors where more than a million devotees gather in stifling conditions, with many attendees succumbing to heatstroke, fainting spells and even cardiac arrest triggered by the heat.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Eight months on and they are no closer to understanding what caused his fatal cardiac arrest.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Alberta went into cardiac arrest and died two hours later.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander