What is the difference between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest?

Let’s discuss the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest.

Cardiac Arrest vs Heart Attack

Heart Attack

A heart attack (also known as coronary artery disease) occurs when there is a block in the blood vessel supplying blood to the heart. If this artery blockage is not cleared quickly, it may lead to a damage in the heart muscle or wall. The severity of this damage will depend on the size of the block. If the treatment is not received at the right time, then the consequences will be severe and may lead to death. Heart attack symptoms usually start showing before hours, days or weeks. A heart attack could lead to a cardiac arrest.

Cardiac Arrest

A cardiac arrest occurs because of irregular electrical signals in the heart, which leads to an irregular heartbeat (also known as arrhythmia) or a sudden stopping of the heart. In this situation, the heart cannot pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body, including the brain. This leads to unconsciousness, decrease of pulse and even death, if the treatment is not provided immediately. Cardiac arrest usually occurs without any warnings.

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