cardiac arrest

American  

noun

Pathology.

cardiac arrests plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cardiac arrests
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cardiac arrest

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cardiac arrest

Speaking at the Time 100 Sports gala, LeBron James expresses gratitude to USC staff members who saved Bronny after 2023 cardiac arrest and encourages others to be prepared for such emergencies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

However, tragedy struck the Pegula family in June 2022, when Jessica’s mother Kim, 57, suffered a cardiac arrest that ultimately caused significant brain damage and memory issues.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

The circumstances reported so far about his death suggest cardiac arrest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

NBC News reported that emergency services responded to a call for "cardiac arrest" at Graham's Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC and other outlets.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

"Could you get a nurse? My chest feels very...tight. I think I'm going into cardiac arrest."

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda