NEWS & INSIGHTS
Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest: Understanding the Difference

You may have noticed that the terms cardiac arrest and heart attack are often used interchangeably, but the truth is that these are very different conditions. It helps to understand the distinction between heart attack vs cardiac arrest, how to recognize these two medical events, and how cardiac diagnostics are used to detect and treat them both.
If you have any doubts at all about the health of your heart, make an appointment with your doctor. If your health practitioner suspects any heart problems, they can refer you for a cardiology consultation, in which the latest diagnostic technology will be used to assess your cardiac health and diagnose any problematic conditions that may lead to cardiac arrest or heart attacks.
What is a Heart Attack?
As the American Heart Association’s explanation shows, the definition of a heart attack is really quite simple. It happens when there is a blockage in an artery, which prevents blood from reaching part of the heart. Over time, as that section of the heart consistently receives less blood than it needs, it begins to die. The longer this goes undetected, the greater the risk that a person will suffer a serious heart attack. When a person suffers a heart attack, the heart does not usually stop beating completely. The symptoms vary between individuals and between men and women, and can range in severity from mild to serious.
What is Cardiac Arrest?
In contrast to a heart attack, a cardiac arrest involves a complete stoppage of cardiac activity. In plain words, the heart stops beating or ceases to function as it should. It can happen without warning, the result of an interruption in the electrical activity that powers the heart. Since the blood supply to other essential organs is thus interrupted, the victim will often lose consciousness and may die if not treated quickly.
What to Do With a Heart Attack
In the event of a heart attack – or even a suspected heart attack – you or anybody in your vicinity should dial 911 immediately. Tell-tale symptoms include pains in the chest and left arm. First aid consists primarily of making the person as comfortable as possible until the ambulance arrives. Loosen clothing around the chest, and ask the person if they have any heart-related medication they should take. Other than that, there is not much to do but wait for emergency workers to arrive. If there is a genuine heart attack taking place, only professional medical assistance will be effective.
What to Do With Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest can happen at any time, and when it does, it is likely that you won’t know what it is. If somebody around you should suffer cardiac arrest, they will likely be conscious. First, check for any signs of responsiveness, then call for help from emergency services immediately. If anyone in the vicinity is trained to do CPR, they should do so as quickly as possible. CPR can significantly increase the chance of the victim’s survival.
Depending on the nature of their heart condition and the assessment of their healthcare providers, people may be referred for cardiac consultations and services of all kinds. WELL Health Diagnostic Centres is equipped to provide a variety of these services, including blood pressure monitoring, cardiology consultations, echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, Holter monitoring, nuclear cardiology and pulmonary function tests, stress echocardiograms, and vascular ultrasounds.
If you are experiencing heart trouble, and have a referral from your healthcare practitioner, contact us to make an appointment at one of our diagnostic centres near you.