Most of us have a common misconception that heart attack and cardiac arrest are same. However, the truth is, they are not identical. The issue of heart attack vs cardiac arrest has long been a dilemma for a lot of people. Cardiac arrest is an electrical problem, while a heart attack is a circulation problem. We can’t use both the terms conversely or reciprocally.
So what is the difference between the both? What are the symptoms and the treatments? Which one is worse? Let’s dig deep into this topic to have better clarity of the same.
Heart Attack VS Cardiac Arrest
A heart attack happens when the blood flowing to the heart is blocked by a blood clot. As a result, the heart is deprived of the oxygen it needs. Also called Myocardial Infarctions, it is a condition in which a blockage in one of the arteries results in the loss of blood supply to a part of the heart muscle.
How To Tell If Someone Is Having A Heart Attack or Cardiac Arrest?
In contrast, cardiac arrest is a state in which the heart stops beating. This is an extremely serious health condition which results due to the disability of the heart to pump properly as a result of which the blood doesn’t flow to the brain and other organs.
A heart attack is usually a cause of cardiac arrest, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to a cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, both of them are emergencies, and professional help should be sought as soon as possible.
Symptoms Of Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest
In order to take measures for preventing a possible condition from occurring, you must have a comprehensive understanding of its indications. Otherwise, all your precautions might go in vain.
Symptoms of heart attack
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Fatigue, sweating or light-headedness
- Acidity and digestive problems
- Abdominal pain
- Mild to severe chest pain.
- Dizziness, vomiting and anxiety.
- Discomfort in the back, neck and arms
Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest
- Sudden unconsciousness or fainting.
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Numbness and unresponsiveness
- Light-headedness, nausea or vomiting.
- Fatigue or weakness
Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest Treatment
If you or anyone in your knowledge is experiencing the above mentioned symptoms, an immediate supervision from a healthcare professional is strictly advised. These conditions can be severe and fatal and therefore require treatment as soon as possible.
Sometimes, you might not even observe any symptom before it occurs, so seek assistance right away when they appear.
For heart attack, there are various medications, surgeries and lifestyle alterations for its treatment. Following are some of those:
- Heart transplant– A surgical strategy through which an unsound or infected heart is replaced with a healthy one. A healthy human heart should first be donated to the person undergoing the surgery for a heart transplant.
- Bypass surgery-Also known as coronary artery bypass graft(CABG), bypass surgery is performed when blood vessels that transport blood to the heart become blocked. For this blood to be transported to the heart muscle, a passage is created with the help of this surgery.
- Angioplasty-Also known as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, PTA is a medical procedure used to open up the obstructed arteries with the help of an attached deflated balloon interlaced with the coronary arteries through tubing.
- Oxygen Therapy-Due to extremely low oxygen levels, patients are often treated with this therapy to protect the heart from further damage.
For cardiac arrest as well, here are a few medical procedures to cure the patient:
- Defibrillation-A process in which electric shocks are given to the heart with the help of an instrument called a defibrillator to rehabilitate a normal heartbeat.
- CPR(Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)-CPR is done when a person’s heartbeat abruptly stops beating and the blood circulation also stops. It consists of chest compressions and mouth to mouth breathing.
These are some commonly used treatments in case of heart attack and cardiac arrest.
Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest | FAQ’S
What Is Worse Heart Attack Or Cardiac Arrest?
Abrupt occurrence of cardiac arrest can lead to death as the heart stops beating at all, and the chances of survival are meager. Whereas, in case of a heart attack, studies say that more than 90% of the patients are able to survive under proper supervision and medical care. Therefore, cardiac arrest is definitely worse and more fatal than heart attacks.
How Many Cardiac Arrests Can You Survive?
Despite excellent treatments using Defibrillators and CPR’s, it has been reported that only 3%-10% of people are able to survive cardiac arrests, mostly because half of them die before getting any medical treatment. At most times, it gets nearly impossible for a person to survive even a single cardiac arrest.
Why Do Cardiac Arrests Happen In The Bathroom?
It has been investigated that there are sudden changes in the blood pressure during bathing, due to the water temperature and during defecation due to wrong sitting postures, which can lead to a cardiac arrest. Hence, most of them happen in the bathroom.
How To Prevent Heart Attack?
There are several lifestyle routines or changes that can help you in preventing a heart attack. Some of them are having a disciplined sleeping schedule, exercising regularly, keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and avoiding alcohol and smoking.
Cessation | Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest
I hope that by the end of this article, you will no more use the terms heart attack and cardiac arrest synonymously. I’ve covered all the fundamental differences so that any time you or someone around you is having any related symptoms, you know thoroughly about the condition, its indications, and its treatments.
However, both of them are severe medical conditions and taking them lightly might result in highly negative consequences. It is always advised to know the signs, and, if required, look for a professional medical assistance as soon as possible.
