Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest: Key Differences

A cardiac arrest occurs when a person’s heart just stops beating. It is usually caused due to a heart attack or trauma that upsets the normal rhythm of the heart. Since the passage of blood to and from the heart is hindered, vital organs do not receive any blood either.

The consequence of a cardiac arrest is quite severe wherein when the lungs and brain do not receive any blood, oxygenated or otherwise, they start to degenerate. Thus, it is absolutely necessary to take serious action right away to instigate blood flow to and from the heart during a cardiac arrest.

What Is A Heart Attack?

Sometimes, plaque or blood clots build up in the arteries over time. This causes a blockage in the blood flowing through the heart, thus resulting in a heart attack.

It is typically a cause of a lack of oxygen in the muscles around the heart. Due to the blockage, the oxygenated blood cannot flow into the heart, thus causing the cells and tissues in the heart muscles to die.

In case of a heart attack, it is pivotal to rush the person to the hospital to seek emergency care. Supplying oxygenated blood to the heart is a primary concern here.

What Is The Difference Between Cardiac Arrest Vs Heart Attack?

There are several significant cardiac arrest and heart attack differences that you need to know in order to determine the course of treatment. Since cardiac issues may occur unexpectedly, look out for the symptoms and try to quickly determine if the patient is having cardiac arrest vs heart attack.

Here are a few prominent differences in cardiac arrest vs heart attack:

• A heart attack is the cause of insufficient blood flowing into the heart muscles, thus causing the tissues and cells to die in the cardiac system.
• A cardiac arrest usually takes place due to a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system. A hindrance usually causes an unnatural rhythm of the heart beating and eventually leads to a complete interference.
• A heart attack is the result of blockage or blood clots in the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
• A cardiac arrest is usually caused due to irregular patterns of the heart such as arrhythmias. The heartbeat can escalate or slow down dangerously to the point of nullification.
• In a heart attack, the blockages and blood clots disallow the blood rich with oxygen from flowing into the heart to support its functionalities.
• During cardiac arrest vs heart attack, the heart stops beating in a cardiac arrest. Thus, there is no supply of blood to important organs of the body. The brain and lungs are incapacitated, thus starting to slowly decline in functionality.
• In the debate of cardiac arrest vs heart attack, the heart does not stop beating during a heart attack. It simply does not receive any blood from the artery that is blocked, thus limiting the blood supply. Only the part of the heart that is connected to the damaged artery will suffer the consequences and the symptoms will progress slowly.
• For cardiac arrest vs heart attack in the line of symptoms, during a heart attack, the patient is conscious and capable of responding to stimuli to some extent. However, during a cardiac arrest, the patient may become unconscious or unresponsive.
• In terms of cardiac arrest and heart attack differences, you can take some time to seek treatment for a heart attack, especially if it is mild. However, in the case of a cardiac arrest, the patient must be attended to at the earliest, immediately if possible before the lack of blood supply to the vital organs results in permanent damage.
• If treated within the period of initial stages, a heart attack is treatable and the patient can make a full recovery in a couple of months.

In case of a cardiac arrest, however, the patient needs to be treated right away in order to make a recovery. If too much time passes before the supply of blood ad oxygen is introduced into the system, the condition can be fatal.

Often, the symptoms of cardiac arrest vs heart attack are confusing for people. It is best to rush to a medical facility at the earliest sign of symptoms, regardless of the Cardiac arrest and heart attack difference.

Cardiac Arrest Vs Heart Attack Vs Stroke

A major concern among people is the difference between cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke. All the phenomena involved in the three conditions are a result of a lack of blood flow to vital organs, which is an immediate concern.

As we have discussed, in cardiac arrest vs heart attack, cardiac arrest is fatal and much more capable of causing serious, permanent damage if not treated promptly. A stroke can be an extension of a cardiac arrest wherein blood supply to the brain is interrupted or cut off, thus causing the brain cells to die slowly.

Essentially, a heart attack can instigate a cardiac arrest and a cardiac arrest can lead to a stroke. Thus, cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke is interconnected in a way. Regardless of the symptoms of cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke, it is best to seek medical aid right away.

While heart attacks can be treated deliberately through time, a cardiac arrest or stroke causes serious and severe damage to the nerve cells in the brain. Therefore, it is pivotal to rush the person to the hospital to seek professional attention. In case the conditions of cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke are not treated right away, parts of the body can start to degenerate, which has fatal consequences.

Conclusion

Being forewarned is being forearmed. Know the differences between cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke and the possible first aid treatment for patients suffering from them. The disruption of blood flow in all of these conditions severely affects the body’s ability to perform at an optimal capacity.

Seeking immediate medical attention can help revive the tissues involved in the healthy supply of blood to critical organs, especially the heart, brain, and lungs, thus helping the body recoup from Cardiac arrest vs heart attack vs stroke.