What is the medical term for the sudden cessation of cardiac activity?

• A. Myocardial infarction
• B. Arrhythmia
• C. Stroke
• D. Cardiac arrest

Answer: (D)

The essential idea is the heart stops beating and blood isn’t being circulated. That abrupt stop of the heart’s pumping action is called cardiac arrest. It’s an emergency where unconsciousness and no pulse can occur, requiring immediate CPR and a call for help to restore circulation.

A myocardial infarction is a heart attack caused by blocked blood flow to part of the heart muscle, which can damage tissue but isn’t the definition of a sudden stop in heart activity. An arrhythmia is a problem with the heart’s rhythm—too fast, too slow, or irregular—but it doesn’t necessarily mean the heart has completely stopped. A stroke is a brain event resulting from interrupted blood flow to brain tissue, not a cardiac event.

So, the term that describes the sudden cessation of cardiac activity is cardiac arrest, and recognizing it guides urgent life-saving actions.