Understanding the Difference Between Heart Attacks and Cardiac Arrest

Spotlight on Cardiac Health

The terms heart attack and cardiac arrest are often used interchangeably, but they are two distinct conditions. A heart attack occurs due to a blockage in blood flow to the heart and a cardiac arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating suddenly. You can think of heart attack vs cardiac arrest like this: a heart attack is a circulation issue and a cardiac arrest is an electrical issue. Knowing the difference between the two conditions is crucial as they present with different symptoms and require different medical treatments for the best possible outcome.

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack, sometimes called a myocardial infarction, is a serious heart condition that happens when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked. The blockage is often the result of fat or cholesterol buildup, which forms plaque in the arteries, a condition termed coronary artery disease (CAD).

When the plaque breaks, a blot clot forms around it and can block blood flow through the coronary artery to the heart muscle. When this happens, the heart is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, and if the blockage isn’t resolved quickly, part of the heart muscle starts to die.

Heart attack symptoms vary among individuals but often include chest discomfort or pain (often described as an elephant sitting on the chest) that may spread to the shoulders, arms, back, neck or jaw. Other heart attack symptoms that may accompany chest discomfort or pain include:

• Shortness of breath.
• Light-headedness.
• Cold sweats.
• Nausea.

In some cases, a heart attack occurs with no obvious symptoms; this type of heart attack is known as a silent myocardial infarction.

Immediate treatment of a heart attack is crucial for optimal outcomes. Treatment usually includes clot-dissolving medications to help restore blood flow to the heart and procedures, such as angioplasty, to open the affected arteries using a balloon, or bypass surgery, where blood flow is redirected around the blockage.

Prevention of heart attack includes lifestyle changes, medications and medical procedures to help prevent or treat CAD, which reduces the risk of heart attack.

What is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest is an unexpected and sudden loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Cardiac arrest occurs as the result of a malfunction in the electrical system of the heart, leading to an irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia.

Most commonly, ventricular fibrillation, where the heart’s lower chambers ineffectively quiver instead of pumping blood, happens in cardiac arrest. Without a proper heartbeat, blood stops flowing to the vital organs of the body including the brain, lungs and heart. Without immediate treatment, cardiac arrest can lead to death within a few minutes.

Cardiac arrest symptoms are immediate and severe and include:

• Sudden collapse.
• Lack of a pulse.
• Lack of breathing.
• Loss of consciousness.

Sometimes, a person may experience symptoms including chest discomfort, shortness of breath, weakness or heart palpitations for a few seconds before collapse.

Cardiac arrest is usually the result of pre-existing heart conditions, such as:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD).
• Cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart).
• Congenital heart disease.
• Valvular heart disease.
• Electrical issues with the heart.

Treatment for cardiac arrest is immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to maintain blood flow to the organs of the body, followed by defibrillation to restore a normal heart rhythm.

Prevention of cardiac arrest includes proper management of heart disease risk factors through lifestyle changes, medications and in some cases pacemakers or defibrillators to correct abnormal heart rhythms.

Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest

A heart attack and cardiac arrest are two distinct heart conditions that require immediate medical attention. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, usually by a clot, leading to heart muscle damage. Heart attack symptoms commonly include chest discomfort or pain that may radiate to other areas including the back, arm, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, light-headedness, nausea and cold sweats. Treatment focuses on quickly restoring normal blood flow with medication or surgery.

On the other hand, a cardiac arrest occurs when the electrical system of the heart malfunctions causing the heart to stop beating normally. This leads to the immediate loss of blood flow to vital organs in the body, leading to collapse, no breathing and no pulse. To survive a cardiac arrest immediate treatment with CPR and defibrillation is necessary.

While a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, most heart attacks do not lead to cardiac arrest.

From Heartache to Heart Stop

Heart attack and cardiac arrest are both serious medical conditions that affect the heart, but they are two distinct conditions. A heart attack is a circulation issue in which a blockage in the arteries causes decreased blood flow and leads to damage to the heart muscle. On the other hand, cardiac arrest is an electrical issue in which the heart stops beating.

Understanding heart attack vs cardiac arrest is crucial as each condition requires a different type of treatment. Recognizing the different signs and symptoms and knowing what to do in each situation can help to save lives. Education and awareness of these life-changing heart conditions can allow individuals to respond quickly and effectively, which may turn a life-threatening situation into a lifesaving one.