Understanding the Difference Between Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack – Experts Explain

A common misconception is that cardiac arrest and heart attack are the same thing. However, you should be aware of some distinctions. In order to differentiate between heart attack and cardiac arrest, it is important to first understand what these two processes are.

In an exclusive conversation 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 the similarity in symptoms and involvement of the heart. Although, initially, both sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack seem similar, clinically they are different conditions.

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What is sudden cardiac arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a type of extreme insult to the heart where the heart stops working. This condition usually occurs when there is a defect in the electrical conduction (impulse generation) and mechanical (pumping) function of the heart.

As the name suggests, in SCA the heart stops suddenly and often without warning, leading to death within minutes if the right treatment is not initiated.

Symptoms of cardiac arrest: In symptomatic cases, symptoms commonly experienced include chest pain, shortness of breath or loss of breath, palpitations, feeling weak, dizziness or vomiting, fainting or loss of consciousness.

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack is often caused by a blockage or blockage of the blood supply to a part or segment of the heart. This may be due to a mechanical trauma that damages the muscle tissue, or if there is a clot.

Failure to remove the blockage quickly can 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 rhythmic disturbances and faulty electrical conduction which may further lead to SCA. Heart attack can be one of the most common causes of SCA.

Other causes of a heart attack may include a narrowing of the blood supply known as coronary vasospasm, air emboli in the coronary, or dissection of the heart blood supply where the inner lumen or lining separates from the main artery and then turns itself.

Symptoms of heart attack: The most commonly observed symptoms of a heart attack are chest discomfort which is usually described as chest pain, burning or tightness in the chest. The chest pain is different from acidity and does not go away.

Along with this, there can also be a problem of sweating and breathlessness. In severe cases the person may collapse.

Heart Attack vs Sudden Cardiac Arrest: What’s the Difference?

Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. When a person has a heart attack, one or more arteries supplying blood to the heart become blocked due to a build-up of cholesterol, leaving the heart unable to pump effectively. SCA can result from damage to the heart caused by a heart attack. On the other hand, SCA is a pre-terminal electrical event caused by various cardiac and non-cardiac diseases.

Heart attack vs sudden cardiac arrest: risk factors

Other risk factors for heart attack include acquired or lifestyle-related factors such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity, and concomitant diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure 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 demand for oxygen by the heart muscle is high but the heart cannot supply it.

Personal or family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) or other cardiac diseases such as arrhythmia, congenital heart disease etc. with sudden cardiac arrest, previous medical history of heart attack or SCA, lifestyle factors and habits mainly smoking, sedentary Lifestyle, including overweight. and concomitant diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and uncontrolled diabetes.

In short, sudden cardiac arrest is caused by a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system, resulting in a sudden loss of heart function and consciousness. In contrast, a heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked, leading to reduced or interrupted blood flow to the heart muscle.

Recognizing the symptoms and getting emergency medical care right away can make a significant difference in the outcome of both conditions.

The best way to know your heart condition and prevent complications is through regular heart checkups and controlling risk factors.