Cardiac Arrest vs Heart Attack: What’s the Difference?

Safety Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin He recently went into cardiac arrest after a tackle during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Although rare, cardiac arrest occurs for a person in excellent physical condition. It is also important to understand the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack.

People often misuse or confuse the terms “heart attack” and “cardiac arrest,” but they’re not the same thing, and knowing the difference can be life-saving.

While a heart attack can cause cardiac arrest, this is often not the case. Not all cardiac arrests are due to heart attacks. Let’s take a look at the medical differences and the various symptoms in between.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack happens when a blood clot in an artery in the heart blocks the flow of blood to the heart. The heart muscle begins to die from a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the cells. This is called myocardial infarction or death of the heart muscle. The longer it goes on without treatment, the more heart muscle dies and the more likely it is that a heart attack will cause permanent damage or become life-threatening.

The symptoms don’t have to be the sudden, cramping chest pain you’ve seen in countless movies, although it can happen. Many heart attacks begin with mild discomfort in the center of the chest that may come and go or get worse. Other signs include shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, pain in the neck, shoulder or arm, dizziness, or a sense of impending doom. Often the patient remains conscious and can communicate.

A heart attack is more likely in people with risk factors that include a family history of heart disease or previous heart attack or bypass surgery, being overweight, smoking, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and diabetes. In addition, men over 45 and women over 50 are at increased risk.

What is cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest occurs when an electrical malfunction causes the heart to stop beating and pumping blood. When blood is not flowing through the body, all organs begin to close, and without immediate treatment, death occurs within minutes.

Cardiac arrest is sudden and the person loses consciousness. This can be caused by many things, including heart attack, irregular heartbeat, stroke, heart failure, severe blood loss, drowning, or electric shock. Some genetic disorders can cause a fatal heart rhythm that leads to cardiac arrest.

What is a dangerous pulse?

In some cases, cardiac arrest can lead to sudden cardiac death, even in athletes or people leading a healthy lifestyle. Sports cardiologists from around the world have been working to quantify the incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes, identify risk factors, develop pre-competition screening tools, and formulate plans to combat sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the field.

Progress has been made, but much remains to be done to make both competitive and recreational sports safer for both patients with known heart disease and athletes without known or suspected cardiac abnormalities.

How to help with cardiac arrest or heart attack

If someone is unconscious and unresponsive, call 911 immediately. If there is no pulse, immediately start CPR with only your hands and have someone find an automated external defibrillator (AED). These portable devices are becoming more available in public places and can restore normal heart rhythms. Don’t be afraid to use it. The cars are quite safe and guide you step by step.

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