Heart attack Vs. Cardiac arrest: Is there any difference between the two? Find out

Heart attack and cardiac arrests are leading causes of death. As the name suggests, both the conditions happen when our heart doesn't function normally. There are many people who get confused between both the terms and use the words interchangeably. But they are not similar. We asked Dr. Anup Taksande, Consultant cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospital Mira Road, and Dr. Nimit Shah, Consultant Interventional cardiologist at Sir H N Reliance hospital helped us to know the differences, signs and how one can prevent both.

Dr. Anup Taksande, Consultant cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospital Mira Road explained what is a heart attack. He said," When a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart, then one may suffer from a heart attack. When the blocked artery fails to reopen quickly then the part of the heart that is nourished by that artery may die. 

Dr Nimit Shah, Consultant Interventional cardiologist at Sir H N Reliance hospital explained what is Cardiac arrest. He said, "Cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and often without warning. It is triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat or very slow heartbeat before it completely stops beating. This causes disruption in the pumping of the heart. With its pumping action disrupted, the heart cannot pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs."

"Seconds later, a person becomes unresponsive, is not breathing, or is only gasping. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment. Many cardiac arrests in adults happen because of a heart attack. This is because a person who is having a heart attack may develop a dangerous heart rhythm, which can cause a cardiac arrest. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical” problem.

The main difference between the two:

Dr. Taksande stated," As mentioned earlier, a heart attack and cardiac arrest are not similar. You may suffer from a heart attack when the blood supply to part of the heart tends to stop and leads to a section of the heart muscle to begin to die. And while speaking about cardiac arrest, it can happen when the heart stops beating as a whole. But, these two distinct conditions are often associated with each other as a cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack, or while the time of recovery, whereas, heart attacks raises one’s risk of getting cardiac arrest.

"Do you know that most of the heart attacks do not cause sudden cardiac arrest? But when sudden cardiac arrest occurs, a heart attack is one of the common causes. Hence, one should keep in mind that a heart attack is a plumbing problem. While a cardiac arrest is an electrical problem."

Dr. Nimit added, "Cardiac arrest may be caused by almost any known heart condition. Most cardiac arrests occur when the diseased heart's electrical system malfunctions due to disease of the heart and also few other conditions which are not directly related to heart disease but can cause malfunction of the heart’s electrical system."

Signs and symptoms of heart attack 

May encounter chest pain
shortness of breath
coughing
wheezing
light-headedness or dizziness
sweating
palpitations 
weakness. 

Signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest

unconscious and has no pulse
no breathing
chest discomfort
One can die if he/she doesn’t get treatment at the right time.

How to prevent a heart attack and cardiac arrest?

Dr. Taksande revealed, "To keep a heart attack at bay, you must stick to a healthy diet. Cut down on saturated fats, sodium, and sugary foods. Include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet, on a daily basis. Manage your high blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels by taking regular medications prescribed by the doctor. Obesity can also raise your risk of a heart attack so just maintain an optimum weight by exercising daily. You can do any activity of your choice. 

Opt for swimming, cycling, yoga, aerobics, or walking. Bid adieu to alcohol and smoking as they can raise your blood pressure and put you at the risk of a heart attack. Also, stress can be the culprit. So, de-stress by trying relaxation techniques like meditation. To prevent a cardiac arrest, screen the patient for a family history of sudden cardiac death, go for regular follow-ups with the doctor, quit smoking and alcohol. 

Chances of survival in both cases

Dr Nimit Shah said, "If the patient receives timely treatment after a heart attack, the chances of survival are very good and can lead a normal life. The chance of survival after the cardiac arrest is not as bright as survival after a heart attack. Survival will depend on the cause of the cardiac arrest, patients' condition and another co-existing disease, and time lag between the cardiac arrest and resuscitation performed."

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