Heart attack and cardiac arrest are not the same. A lot of people confuse these two serious medical emergencies but they are very different in terms of causes, onset, and treatment.
While a heart attack affects blood circulation problems, a sudden cardiac arrest can stop the heart from beating, requiring CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to revive the pulse. Which one is more dangerous?
In this blog you will learn about cardiac arrest vs heart attack symptoms, cardiac arrest vs heart attack which is worse, and what should be the first aid in these conditions.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, colloquial name for Myocardial Infarction, occurs when the blood stops reaching to the heart. This is due to a blocked artery, and if not treated quickly, the parts of the heart muscle connected to that artery begin to die slowly. The longer you wait, the more damage your heart suffers.
Typically, the heart keeps beating during a heart attack, but in some cases, blocked blood circulation to the heart can also trigger a cardiac arrest, described in the next section.
What is Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest happens due to an electrical failure in the heart. It causes the heartbeat to become dangerously irregular (arrhythmia) or even stop completely.
As per NIH study, cardiac arrest cuts off the blood flow to different vital organs of the body (brain, lungs, etc.), causing the person to become unconscious.
It is also known as a sudden cardiac arrest as it happens suddenly and often without a warning. Without help within minutes, the victim can succumb to a cardiac arrest.
So, between a cardiac arrest and heart attack, a cardiac arrest is more dangerous.
Keep scrolling to find out what cardiac arrest vs heart attack signs look like for better understanding about heart attack vs cardiac arrest differences.
Cardiac Arrest vs Heart Attack Symptoms
Knowledge about the symptoms of cardiac arrest and heart attack can enable you to identify which condition a person is going through and provide first aid accordingly.
Heart Attack Symptoms
The symptoms of a heart attack develop gradually, but can also be sudden with the following indications:
- Feeling squeezing pain or pressure in the chest
- Pain radiating to the left arm, jaw, neck, or back
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweats
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue or lightheadedness
- Anxiety
Cardiac Arrest Symptoms
These occur suddenly without a warning:
- Sudden collapse or loss of consciousness
- Loss of pulse/no heartbeat
- No breathing or gasping for breath
- Unresponsiveness
- Bluish or pale skin due to lack of oxygen
- Jerky, seizure-like movements
Acting Fast: What You Should Do to Save a Life?
When a person is experiencing either heart attack vs cardiac arrest symptoms, every second counts and it’s critical to get medical help quickly.
Dial the emergency number 102 for an ambulance or 112 for any type of emergency, in India.
Next, stay calm and try these first-aid steps till the ambulance arrives:
For Heart Attack
- Help the person sit down or lie on the ground face up. It takes excessive strain off the heart.
- Loosen tight clothing to ease breathing.
- Perform CPR if the person loses consciousness (explained below).
For Cardiac Arrest
- After you’ve called the emergency number, start CPR on the person.
- CPR steps:
- Help the person lie flat on their back.
- Give 30 chest compressions (at least 2 inches deep, at 100–120 beats per minute).
- Do 2 rescue breaths – pinch the person’s nostrils and give mouth-to-mouth oxygen so that their chest rises. If you don’t know how to do breath CPR, you can just continue doing only hands-only CPR until help arrives. By performing this technique, you can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival.
Read More: You May be Confusing Chest Pain Due to Gas with Heart Attack
Final Thoughts
Sudden cardiac arrest vs heart attack symptoms may look similar but the two conditions are very different. A heart attack is a circulation problem, while cardiac arrest is caused by the electrical failure that stops the heart from working completely. Facing either of these, you need to stay calm and act fast. Call emergency services and start CPR if the person goes unconscious. These tips can help you save lives in emergency situations.
