Shefali Jariwala passes away at 42: 5 sudden symptoms of cardiac arrest that require immediate attention

In a tragic news, model and actress Shefali Jariwala, best known for the 'Kaanta laga' song, reportedly passed away of a cardiac arrest on Friday, June 27. She was just 42. According to reports, she was rushed to the hospital by her husband Parag Tyagi and some other people, but was declared dead on arrival. Her sudden demise has sent shockwaves across the fraternity and thrown the focus back on heart health. Even though yearly check ups are crucial in preventing cardiac arrests, here are 5 sudden symptoms that require immediate attention...

One of the most obvious signs of sudden cardiac arrest is a person suddenly collapsing and losing consciousness. This happens because the brain is no longer receiving oxygen-rich blood. The person will be unresponsive and will not wake up even if you shake them or call their name loudly. That leaves only a small margin of window to rush the patient to the hospital and save him/her.

In cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating, or beats so irregularly that it can’t pump blood anymore. This means there is no detectable pulse. The person will also stop breathing or may show abnormal, gasping breaths called agonal breathing, which is ineffective for sustaining life for long. In this case, sudden medical attention is needed to save the patient. On the other hand, if the person is not breathing or only gasping, this is a critical sign of cardiac arrest. Agonal breathing may look like irregular, shallow, or noisy breaths but is not normal breathing and requires immediate intervention.

Some people may experience chest pain, pressure, or discomfort before cardiac arrest occurs. This can be accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, or lightheadedness. These symptoms may signal the heart is under distress and could precede sudden cardiac arrest.

Before the heart stops, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) such as ventricular fibrillation can cause a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat. This irregular heartbeat disrupts the heart’s ability to pump blood and can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.See more:Shefali Jariwala Passes Away at 42 Live Updates

In some cases, people may feel weak, dizzy, or short of breath shortly before collapsing. These symptoms are warning signs that the heart is not functioning properly and require urgent medical evaluation.

While both are heart emergencies, a heart and cardiac arrest differ in some key ways. A heart attack happens when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually due to a clot or narrowing in the coronary arteries. This blockage prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart tissue, causing damage or death to that part of the heart. However, during a heart attack, the heart usually continues to beat, although the person may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or sweating. In contrast, sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem where the heart suddenly stops beating effectively due to an abnormal heart rhythm, causing the heart to stop pumping blood to the brain and other vital organs. This leads to immediate loss of consciousness, absence of pulse, and no breathing. Cardiac arrest can occur suddenly without warning and is often fatal within minutes. (like in Shefali's case)