Since the corona epidemic, the news of death of even younger people due to heart attack or cardiac arrest has increased. We often consider these two conditions to be the same. These two conditions are also used interchangeably in the media. However, these two conditions are not the same. Cardiac arrest and heart attack are both different but interrelated things related to the heart. Do you know how the heart works? After knowing this, we can conclude how heart attack and cardiac arrest are different and how they are also related to each other.
How does the heart work?
The heart is a muscle that contracts to work as a pump. When it contracts, it pumps blood, which contains oxygen and nutrients, to all the tissues in our body. The heart muscle needs a blood supply from the coronary arteries to work effectively as a pump. If these arteries are blocked, the heart muscle does not get the required amount of blood. This can damage the heart muscle or even cause it to die. As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood properly.
Heart attack or cardiac arrest?
In simple terms, a heart attack, technically called myocardial infarction, occurs when the heart muscle is injured or dies. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating or in other words stops working as an effective pump. In simple terms, both are related to the heart not functioning properly but due to different reasons.
Why does this happen
A heart attack is usually caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries. In about 75 percent of people, the underlying cause is a process called atherosclerosis. This is when fat builds up in the walls of the coronary arteries, forming a coating. The coating can block blood vessels or, in some cases, cause a blood clot to form. Atherosclerosis is a slow, silent process that has many causes and can affect anyone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, and our genes are all involved in the formation of the coating. Other causes of a heart attack include spasms in the coronary arteries (causing them to narrow), chest injuries, or any other cause that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle.
How to differentiate cardiac arrest
On the other hand, heart failure is the result of irregular heartbeats which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body effectively. These irregularities in the heartbeat are usually caused by ‘electrical’ interference in the heart. There are four different types of it-
1. Ventricular tachycardia: A fast and abnormal heart rhythm in which the heart beats more than 100 beats per minute (a normal adult’s resting heart rate is usually 60-90 beats per minute). This fast heart rate prevents the heart from filling with blood and thus pumping it adequately.
2. Ventricular fibrillation: Instead of beating regularly, the heart quivers or “fibrillates,” causing an irregular heart rate greater than 300 beats per minute.
3. ‘Electrical’ activity without pulse: This condition occurs when the heart muscle fails to generate adequate pumping force following electrical stimulation resulting in no pulse.
4. Asystole: The classic ‘flat line’ heart rhythm seen in films, indicating no electrical activity in the heart.
Heart failure can be caused by a variety of conditions that are heart-related, such as drowning, stroke, respiratory failure, electric shock, and drug overdose. Although there are many causes of heart failure, ischemic heart disease, such as a heart attack, is the most common cause, accounting for 70 percent of all cases.
That means both are connected
So how can a heart attack cause cardiac arrest? As we know, during a heart attack, the heart muscle can be damaged or parts of it can die. This damaged or dead tissue can interfere with the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, increasing the risk of disruption of the heart rhythm. So while a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, cardiac arrest itself does not usually lead to a heart attack.
What are the symptoms?
Because cardiac arrest suddenly causes the heart to stop pumping effectively, the most common signs and symptoms are sudden loss of consciousness, loss of pulse or heartbeat, breathing failure, or pale or bluish skin. But common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort that may radiate to other parts of the body, such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or abdomen. Shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and sweating are also common symptoms.
What are both the situations in clear terms
Heart attack and cardiac arrest though both are related to heart but their process and outcome are different. Heart attack is like a blockage in the pipeline supplying water to the house. But cardiac arrest is like an electrical fault in the wiring of the house. Despite their different nature both the conditions can have serious consequences and need immediate treatment.
