It is common to confuse a heart attack with cardiac arrest; both are medical emergencies affecting the heart, but they are not the same. A heart attack involves a disruption in blood supply to the heart, which may lead to cardiac arrest, meaning when the heart stops pumping.
The American Heart Association distinguishes between a heart attack and cardiac arrest by stating that the former is a circulation problem, while the latter is an electrical problem in the heart.
In the case of a heart attack, a blocked artery prevents blood flow to the part of the heart that the artery serves, resulting in damage to that part of the heart. In contrast, during cardiac arrest, the heart suffers an electrical malfunction and suddenly stops beating.
Cardiac arrest typically occurs suddenly and without warning when the heart stops pumping blood throughout the body. Anyone can lose consciousness and die within minutes if they do not receive immediate treatment. A heart attack is a common cause of many cardiac arrests.
A frequent cause of the heart stopping is an irregular heartbeat known as ventricular fibrillation, which occurs when the heart's electrical circuits become chaotic. Instead of beating, the heart quivers.
The following factors increase the risk of an individual experiencing cardiac arrest and heart attacks: advancing age, gender (men are at a higher risk), family medical history, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, and kidney failure.
