In standstill or asystole, there is no electrical current in the heart, and using electrical shock is of no value. In a few cases, the heart may commence beating on its own. This condition is called a Stokes-Adams attack, named after the doctors who first described it. A few individuals can be saved by the insertion of a pacemaker if the attack occurs in the hospital.
It is wise for a family member of a heart patient to know how to give CPR. It reassures the patient that something can be done. The knowledgeable individual also feels some sense of confidence, which promotes hope.
Each year approximately a quarter million individuals die suddenly in the United States from coronary artery disease before reaching a hospital; more than half a million have a cardiac arrest and receive CPR during hospitalization.

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