What is the medical term for the condition when the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow?

The medical term for the condition when the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow is cardiac arrest. This condition occurs when the heart stops pumping blood effectively, which can lead to a complete cessation of blood circulation. In cardiac arrest, there is no pulse and the individual is unresponsive, making it critical for immediate emergency interventions like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation to restore circulation and save the person's life.

Heart failure, while related to inadequate blood flow, refers to a chronic condition where the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently but does not necessarily mean there is a complete cessation of blood flow. Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, results from a blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle, but it does not imply the heart has completely stopped functioning. Arrhythmia refers to irregular heartbeats and can vary in severity, but it does not directly correlate with a failure to produce detectable blood flow.