Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest: Key Differences & Expert Guide

About Diseases

What Is a Heart Attack?

Blood flow to the heart muscle gets blocked or reduced when a clot forms in a coronary artery. The heart muscle tissue dies because oxygen-rich blood can't reach part of the heart. The heart keeps beating during a heart attack, though it doesn't work well.

What Is Cardiac Arrest?

The heart suddenly stops beating because of an electrical malfunction. People lose consciousness and stop breathing right away. Cardiac arrest becomes deadly within minutes as blood stops flowing to the brain & vital organs.

Key Differences Between Heart Attack & Cardiac Arrest 

Common Symptoms of a Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest 

Heart Attack Symptoms:

• Chest pain or pressure that spreads to arms, back, neck or jaw

• Shortness of breath

• Cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness

• Unusual fatigue (especially in women)

Women's symptoms are often less obvious and include back pain, shoulder discomfort, extreme tiredness, and stomach upset.

Cardiac Arrest Symptoms:

• Sudden collapse

• No pulse or breathing

• Complete unresponsiveness

• Dizziness, seizures, or chest discomfort might come first

Causes Behind Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest

Coronary artery disease leads to most heart attacks. Cholesterol and other substances build up inside arteries and form plaque that narrows blood vessels. Additional causes include:

• Coronary artery spasm (severe tightening of blood vessels)

• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (tear inside the heart artery)

• Certain infections

• Illegal drug use

Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), especially ventricular fibrillation, cause most cardiac arrests. Other common triggers include:

• Physical exertion (especially in people with existing heart conditions)

• Heavy alcohol consumption

• Recreational drug use

• Severe emotional stress

• Recent influenza infection

• Electrolyte imbalances (potassium, magnesium)

• Respiratory arrest from choking or drowning

A heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest if the damage affects the heart's electrical pathways.

How to Prevent Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack 

You can protect your heart by:

• Staying active (150 minutes weekly)

• Eating lots of vegetables and whole grains

• Avoiding smoking

• Keeping a healthy weight

• Regular screening and medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes can lower your risk a lot. 

Learning CPR and knowing where to find AEDs (automated external defibrillators) helps save lives during heart emergencies.

What to Do in Case of a Heart Emergency

Quick action during a heart emergency saves lives. Each minute without treatment reduces survival chances.

For a Heart Attack Emergency:

Your first step is to call the emergency helpline right away. The person should sit down and receive support for their head and shoulders while waiting for help. They should take their prescribed nitroglycerin if available. Adults without aspirin allergies should chew a 300mg aspirin to help thin their blood.

For a Cardiac Arrest Emergency:

Call the emergency helpline immediately and begin CPR. Deliver strong, rapid compressions at the chest's centre (100-120 compressions per minute). Use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) if one is nearby.

To use an AED:

• Turn it on and follow the voice prompts

• Remove clothing from the chest

• Attach pads correctly (upper right chest and lower left side)

• Let the AED analyse the heart rhythm – ensure nobody touches the person

• If advised, deliver shock after loudly saying "CLEAR!"

• Resume CPR after shock delivery.

Hands-only CPR works well for adults and makes the process easier for untrained rescuers. People who receive prompt CPR and AED treatment have nearly three times the chance of survival.

Conclusion 

The difference between cardiac arrest and heart attacks can save lives. These conditions are quite distinct despite having similar names. Heart attacks happen due to blood flow problems and the heart keeps beating while causing pain and discomfort. When cardiac arrest occurs, electrical malfunctions stop the heart completely and the person collapses immediately.

Time is critical in these situations. A person's survival chances drop by 7-10% every minute without treatment during cardiac arrest. Learning to spot these symptoms enables everyone to take action when emergencies strike.

Your best defence against both conditions lies in prevention. Basic lifestyle changes like exercise, healthy eating, and staying tobacco-free can cut your risk substantially. On top of that, regular checkups to track blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes help protect your heart's health.

This knowledge might help you save someone's life - a family member, friend, or maybe even yourself one day. While cardiac emergencies strike without warning, people who know what to do make a real difference. Learning CPR, locating AEDs, and knowing warning signs turn regular people into potential lifesavers.

Note that heart attacks give you warnings like chest pain and breathing trouble, but cardiac arrest hits without notice and causes immediate collapse. This basic difference determines how you should act. Both conditions threaten lives, but quick action improves outcomes substantially.

Share what you've learned with your loved ones, take a CPR class, and watch for signs of heart emergencies. Communities that stay prepared create safer spaces where more people survive these scary but treatable cardiac events.

FAQs

1. What exactly happens during a heart attack?

   A blockage stops blood flow to part of your heart during a heart attack. Fatty deposits (plaque) build up in coronary arteries over time. A ruptured plaque forms a blood clot that blocks oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart muscle. Heart tissue starts dying within 30 minutes without oxygen. Your heart keeps beating throughout this process, but not efficiently.

2. How is a cardiac arrest different from a heart attack?

   Heart attacks involve a circulation problem (blocked blood flow), but cardiac arrest comes from an electrical malfunction. Your heart completely stops beating during cardiac arrest. You stay conscious during most heart attacks, but cardiac arrest makes you lose consciousness immediately, with no pulse or breathing. Cardiac arrest poses a more immediate threat to life since blood stops flowing to your brain and vital organs.

3. Can a heart attack lead to cardiac arrest?

   Heart attacks often trigger cardiac arrest. Dead heart tissue from oxygen deprivation during a heart attack can disrupt electrical signals that control the heartbeat. About one-third of cardiac arrests happen after heart attacks. Many heart attacks don't lead to immediate cardiac arrest. Other conditions like cardiomyopathy and electrical abnormalities can also cause cardiac arrest.

4. What are the early warning signs of a heart attack?

   Early heart attack signs are:

   • Pressure or tightness in the chest (rather than obvious pain)

   • Discomfort spreading to arms, jaw, neck or back

   • Shortness of breath

   • Cold sweats or nausea

   • Unusual fatigue (especially in women)

5. Are there any symptoms before a cardiac arrest occurs?

   People usually experience warning signs an hour before cardiac arrest:

   • Shortness of breath

   • Chest discomfort

   • Dizziness or fainting

   • Heart palpitations (racing or fluttering heartbeat)

   • Extreme fatigue

   • Nausea or vomiting

   Many cardiac arrests happen without warning signs.

6. What causes a heart attack in most people?

   Plaque builds up inside arteries and eventually breaks open, which creates clots that block blood flow and cause heart attacks.

7. What are the common triggers for cardiac arrest?

   Cardiac arrest happens because of arrhythmias—especially ventricular fibrillation—that disrupt the heart's electrical system. 

   Other common triggers include:

   • Physical exertion (especially in people with existing heart conditions)

   • Heavy alcohol consumption

   • Recreational drug use

   • Stress

   • Electrolyte imbalances (potassium, magnesium)

   • Respiratory arrest from choking or drowning

8. How can I lower my risk of having a heart attack?

   You can reduce heart attack risk by:

   • Exercising regularly (150 minutes weekly of moderate activity)

   • Eating heart-healthy foods rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains

   • Maintaining a healthy weight

   • Quitting smoking

   • Limiting alcohol consumption

   • Managing stress effectively

   • Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar

   • Getting regular checkups