DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CARDIAC ARREST AND HEART ATTACK
WHAT IS A CARDIAC ARREST?
A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood round your body, commonly because of a problem with electrical signals in your heart. When your heart stops pumping blood, your brain is starved of oxygen. This causes you to fall unconscious and stop breathing.
CARDIAC ARREST OCCURS WHEN HEART MALFUNCTIONS AND STOPS BEATING UNEXPECTEDLY
It is triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia's)
with its pumping action disrupted the heart cannot pump blood to the brain and other body parts.
Cardiac Arrest is an electrical problem whereas heart attack is a circulation problem
WHAT HAPPENS :
Seconds later ,a person becomes unresponsive,is not breathing or is only gasping.death occurs within minutes if the victim doesn't receive treatment
WHAT TO DO :
Cardiac Arrest can be reversible if treated within seconds in some victims .
First call EMERGENCY ,check response and start CPR right away
If automated external defibrillator present use it as soon as possible
Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death ,fast action can save lives
WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK
Heart attack definition, damage to an area of heart muscle that is deprived of oxygen, usually due to blockage of a diseased coronary artery, typically accompanied by chest pain radiating down one or both arms, the severity of the attack varying with the extent and location of the damage; myocardial infarction
HEART ATTACK OCCURS WHEN BLOOD FLOW TO A PART OF HEART IS BLOCKED
A blocked artery prevents oxygen rich blood from reaching a section of heart,if the blocked artery not opened quickly,the part supplied by that artery normally begins to die.
WHAT HAPPENS :
Symptoms of heart attack may be immediate and may include intense discomfort in the chest or other areas of the upper body,shortness of breath,cold sweats nausea and vomiting. more-often symptoms start slowly and persists for hours ,days or weeks before a heart attack.unlike like cardiac arrest the heart usually doesn't stop breathing during a heart attack. the longer the person goes without a treatment ,the greater the damage.
WHAT TO DO :
Even if you are not sure its a heart attack ,Every Minute matters
Call the Emergency ,Check Response . Emergency Medical Service Staff can begin treatment when-they arrive .EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with Chest Pain who arrive by Ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital too.