Complete Recovery After a Witnessed Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest: A Case Report

Sudden cardiac arrest remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and is frequently the first manifestation of previously undiagnosed coronary artery disease. Early defibrillation and rapid implementation of advanced cardiac life support are the most critical determinants of survival and neurological recovery. We present the case of a 52-year-old male with no known comorbidities, but a significant smoking history (30 pack-years), who presented with typical chest pain and developed witnessed ventricular fibrillation arrest in the emergency department. Immediate defibrillation according to current resuscitation guidelines resulted in return of spontaneous circulation within five minutes, with full neurological recovery (Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15). Coronary angiography revealed a 100% occlusion of the circumflex artery, successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. This case illustrates the critical importance of early defibrillation, adherence to resuscitation algorithms, trauma evaluation following collapse, and rapid access to definitive coronary reperfusion. This case demonstrates the synergy between emergency trauma protocols and rapid cardiac intervention. This case further emphasizes that while rapid clinical success was achieved in a controlled setting, the outcome would likely be less favorable in out-of-hospital environments, highlighting the urgent need for widespread public access to automated external defibrillators and the strengthening of community-based survival chains as key preventive measures.