The American Heart Association urges the public to be prepared
for cardiac emergencies:    • Know the warning signs of cardiac
arrest. During cardiac arrest a victim loses consciousness,
stops normal breathing and loses pulse and blood pressure. They
may suddenly collapse.   • If you don’t know CPR or haven’t been
trained, call 9-1-1 and push hard and fast on the center of the
chest until help arrives.  What is cardiac arrest?  Cardiac
arrest is the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function. It’s not
the same as a heart attack. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when
electrical impulses in the heart become rapid or chaotic, which
causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. A heart attack occurs
when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. A
heart attack may cause cardiac arrest.   What causes cardiac
arrest?  The most common reason for patients to die suddenly
from cardiac arrest is heart disease.  Other factors besides
heart disease and heart attack can cause cardiac arrest. They
include respiratory ar