A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked due to blockage in one of the arteries, whereas a cardiac arrest is when a person's heart stops pumping blood around their body.
1. Different Mechanism
Without immediate treatment, cardiac arrest can lead to death within minutes, whereas a heart attack may allow hours or even days for intervention.
2. Survival Time
Heart attacks can present with subtle symptoms like jaw pain or nausea, while cardiac arrest often occurs without warning.
3. Silent Symptoms
Women are more likely to experience "silent" heart attacks, which are harder to diagnose.
4. Gender Differences
Extreme physical exertion can lead to both, but cardiac arrest can also occur during rest or sleep.
5. Triggering Factors
Having a heart attack increases the risk of future cardiac arrest by 3-4 times.
6. Medical History
Cardiac arrest is more common in younger athletes than heart attacks, which are typically seen in older adults.
7. Age Factor
CPR is essential for cardiac arrest but not effective during a heart attack unless it leads to arrest.
8. First Aid
Heart attacks usually show changes in an ECG, while cardiac arrest might only show flatlines or chaotic rhythms.
9. ECG Differences
Early heart attack treatment can save heart muscle, but cardiac arrest often results in irreversible brain damage if not treated quickly.
10. Reversible vs. Irreversible
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) can restore a normal heart rhythm in cardiac arrest, but not in a heart attack.
11. AED Usage:
Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of heart attacks significantly, but cardiac arrest often strikes without prior symptoms.