A common misconception is that cardiac arrest and a heart attack are the same thing. You should, however, be aware of some distinctions. To distinguish between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest, it is essential to first understand what happens in these two procedures.
In an exclusive chat with Zee English, Dr. Sunil Dwivedi, Consultant – Cardiologist, Manipal Hospital shares the key difference between Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and heart attack are two distinct medical emergencies involving the heart, although they are often confused due to similarities in symptoms and heart involvement. However, initially sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack seem similar, but medically they are different conditions.
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What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a form of ultimate insult to the heart, where the heart stops working. The condition usually arises when there is a malfunction in the electrical conductivity (generation of pulses) and mechanical action (pumping) of the heart.
As the name suggests, in SCA (cardiac arrest meaning the heart stops) sudden and often without warning death occurs within minutes if the right treatment is not initiated within minutes.
Cardiac arrest symptoms: In symptomatic cases, symptoms commonly experienced include: chest pain, difficulty breathing or loss of breath, rapid heartbeat, feeling weak, dizziness or vomiting, fainting or loss of consciousness.
What is a heart attack?
Heart attack is often due to the stopping or blocking of the blood supply to a part or section of the heart. This may be due to mechanical trauma causing damage to muscle tissue or the presence of a clot.
Failure to remove the blockage sooner may result in the death of the affected part. Unlike SCA where the heart stops beating completely, in this condition the heart continues to beat but there may be rhythm disturbances and faulty electrical conduction which can still lead to SCA. Heart attack can be one of the most common causes of ACS.
Other causes of heart attack may include a contraction of the blood supply known as coronary vasospasm, air embolisms in the coronary arteries, or dissection of the heart’s blood supply where the inner lumen or walls detach from the heart. main artery then fold.
Heart attack symptoms: The most common symptoms of a heart attack are chest discomfort usually described as chest pain, chest burning, or constriction. Chest discomfort is different from acidity and does not go away.
In addition, there may also be sweating and shortness of breath. In severe cases, a person may collapse.
Heart attack vs sudden cardiac arrest: what’s the difference?
A sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. When a person has a heart attack, one or more of the arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked due to cholesterol buildup, which prevents the heart from pumping effectively. An ACS can result from damage to the heart caused by a heart attack. SCA, on the other hand, is a pre-terminal electrical event caused by a variety of cardiac and non-cardiac diseases.
Heart attack vs sudden cardiac arrest: risk factors
Other heart attack risk factors include acquired or lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity, as well as comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
Inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, SLE and psoriasis, and conditions such as severe anemia or carbon monoxide poisoning, thickening of the heart muscle where the oxygen demand by the heart muscle is high but the heart can’t provide it.
With sudden cardiac arrest, personal or family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) or other heart conditions such as arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, etc., medical history of heart attack or ACS, factors and lifestyle habits including mainly smoking, sedentary lifestyle, overweight and obesity, comorbidities such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and uncontrolled diabetes.
In summary, sudden cardiac arrest is caused by a malfunction in the electrical system of the heart, resulting in sudden loss of heart function and consciousness. In contrast, a heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes clogged, causing reduced or interrupted blood flow to the heart muscle.
Recognizing the symptoms and seeking emergency medical care early can make a significant difference in the outcome of both conditions.
The best way to know your cardiac (heart) condition and prevent complications is to have regular heart exams and check risk factors.