Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest

Many people think that heart attack and cardiac arrest are the same thing, but they are not.

Heart Attack

heart-attack1A heart attack occurs when an artery in the heart is blocked, and oxygen-rich blood fails to reach a part of the heart muscle. If this situation is not corrected immediately, the heart can become damaged in areas deprived of oxygen.

A person experiencing a heart attack may have the following signs and symptoms:

  • Pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest.
  • Pain that radiates to other parts of the upper body like the arm, the shoulder, the back, and the jaw.
  • Cold sweats.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Nausea and vomiting.

These signs and symptoms can suddenly appear, or they may come on slowly and persist for hours or days. Unlike with cardiac arrest, the patient’s heart usually does not stop beating during the heart attack. Men and women may experience they signs and symptoms to different degrees. For example, women may experience nausea/vomiting, shortness of breath, and jaw or back pain without chest pain. (According to Merck, about one-third of heart attack patients do not have chest pain.)

If you suspect someone is having a heart attack, call 911 or the local emergency number immediately. Do not worry about being wrong. While waiting for EMS personnel to arrive:

  1. Have the patient rest in a position that is comfortable for breathing. Loosen any restrictive clothing.
  2. Watch the patient carefully for changes in consciousness or breathing. Be ready to give CPR is breathing stops.
  3. If the patient is conscious and able to swallow, help the patient take any pertinent medication prescribed to the patient.

Cardiac Arrest

DSC_0007Cardiac arrest is caused by electrical problems within the heart. These electrical problems cause the heart to beat in an irregular manner (called an arrhythmia) that may not generate a pulse to circulate blood to vital organs. With the pulse disrupted, the patient will collapse within seconds, become unresponsive, and stop breathing. Death can occur within minutes of the patient’s collapse.

Although most heart attacks do not lead to cardiac arrest, when cardiac arrest occurs, heart attack is a common cause. Other conditions can disrupt the heart’s electrical system and cause cardiac arrest. Some of these include congenital heart disease or defects, coronary heart disease, electrical problems in the heart, enlarged heart, and heart valve defects.

The signs of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) include sudden collapse, unconsciousness, no breathing or irregular gasping (known as agonal gasps), and no pulse. Sometimes other signs and symptoms precede SCA. These can include fatigue, fainting, blackouts, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations, or vomiting. But sudden cardiac arrest often occurs with no warning.

When the heart stops, the lack of oxygenated blood can cause brain damage within four to six minutes. Time is critical; take immediate action.

  1. Call 911 or the local emergency number.
  2. Begin CPR. Give sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths, or, if you are unwilling or unable to give breaths, give continuous compressions. Be sure to give high-quality CPR, which means compressions of a sufficient depth (at least 2 inches or 5 cm), sufficient rate (100 to 120 compressions per minute), and with full recoil of the chest between compressions.
  3. Use an automated external defibrillator (AED), as soon as one is available. The AED will analyze the patient’s heart rhythm and, afterwards, may instruct you to give a shock or continue CPR or both.
  4. Continue giving CPR and using the AED until EMS personnel arrives or the patient recovers.

Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest Links

To learn more about heart attack and cardiac arrest, follow these links: