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Understanding The Key Differences Between Heart Attack And Cardiac Arrest
- •A heart attack occurs when blockages or damage in the arteries hinder blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscles.
- •Cardiac arrest is the complete stoppage of the heartbeat, which disrupts blood flow and causes all organs, including the brain, to stop functioning immediately.
- •During a cardiac arrest, the patient loses consciousness, and survival chances decrease significantly with each passing minute.
- •Irregular heartbeats caused by changes in electrical impulses or arterial blockages can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.
- •Administering Basic Life Support and CPR immediately can help keep a cardiac arrest patient alive until medical help arrives.
Key Questions Answered
A heart attack occurs when blood-transporting arteries become blocked or damaged, hindering oxygen delivery to the heart muscles. In contrast, a cardiac arrest is the complete stoppage of the heartbeat caused by an irregular heartbeat or electrical malfunction, which immediately halts blood flow to the brain and all other organs.
A cardiac arrest is typically caused by an irregular heartbeat known as ventricular fibrillation, which stems from changes or malfunctions in the stimulated electrical impulses that spread across the chambers of the heart.
First ensure the environment is safe and call for medical assistance immediately. Check the patient's breathing and pulse for no more than ten seconds, and if both are absent, administer CPR at a ratio of thirty chest compressions to two breaths to keep them alive until help arrives.
