Medications That Can Reduce Your Risk Of Death From Cardiac Arrest

The Mayo Clinic explains that cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack occurs due to blocked blood flow in the heart. Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, happens when the heart either stops beating or is beating so quickly that it can't effectively pump blood to the body's tissues.

They state that people with cardiac arrest stop breathing and lose consciousness. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be used to keep blood circulating until help arrives. However, unless the person is quickly treated with an automated external defibrillator (AED), they will die. The Cleveland Clinic states that up to 90% of people will live if they receive treatment within a matter of minutes. This rate rapidly declines, though, with survival dropping by 10% for each additional minute of delay.

While heart attack and cardiac arrest are not the same, the Mayo Clinic notes that a heart attack can cause alterations in the heart's electrical activity. This, in turn, can lead to cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association adds that cardiac arrest can happen right after a heart attack or as people are recovering.

The risk of death from cardiac arrest can be reduced through the use of certain medications. These include beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, statins, and SGLT2 inhibitors.

Beta-blockers are drugs that can decrease the activity of the heart. A 2012 systematic review published in the journal Resuscitation reported that beta-blockers could reduce the oxygen requirement of the heart muscle as well as the number of shocks needed for defibrillation. They might also improve the function of the heart muscle following CPR and reduce the incidence of abnormal heart rhythms. Further, they might improve people's survival. 

ACE inhibitors work by relaxing the blood vessels and can lower blood pressure. A 2004 study in Circulation found that one particular ACE inhibitor, ramipril, reduced the risk of sudden death and nonfatal resuscitated cardiac arrest by 21% when compared to people who did not receive the drug.

Statins are used to lower cholesterol with the intention of reducing people's risk for heart disease. A 2019 study in The American Journal of Cardiology reported that people receiving statin therapy for at least 30 days prior to their cardiac arrest had a greater likelihood of surviving after discharge from the hospital and after one year. These individuals were compared with people who had not used statins during that same time period.

SGLT2 inhibitors help reduce blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes. A 2021 study in Heart Rhythm found that these medications were linked with a reduced risk for atrial arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in those with type 2 diabetes.

One important way to reduce your risk of cardiac arrest is by living a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating well, keeping your weight down, exercising, avoiding smoking and drug use, and cutting down on your alcohol intake (per Johns Hopkins Medicine).

The Cleveland Clinic writes that fixing heart artery blockages — either through coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty — can help prevent cardiac arrest. Another option is an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). This battery-operated device is surgically placed in the chest. It is able to detect arrhythmias and stop them by applying electric shocks to encourage the heart back into a regular rhythm. People may have one implanted if their heart beats too fast or their heart is not able to beat in a productive way. It might also be advised in people with weak hearts who are at risk for irregular heartbeats. It should be noted, however, that an ICD is not the same thing as a pacemaker. A pacemaker is used when people have an abnormally slow heartbeat (per Mayo Clinic).