‘Kaanta laga’ fame actress Shefali Jariwala has passed away at the age of 42. According to reports, the actress suffered a massive cardiac arrest on June 27, and despite being rushed to the hospital by husband Parag Tyagi, she was declared dead by the hospital. Her sudden demise at such a young age has shifted the focus back on heart health, and why so many young people are either dying of heart disease, or are being diagnosed with it. However, when it comes to heart ailments, the conditions heart attack and cardiac arrest are used interchangeably. However, there are some key differences between them. Let’s take a look…Heart attack vs Cardiac arrestA heart attack occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, become partially, or fully blocked. This blockage reduces or stops the flow of oxygen-rich blood to part of the heart, causing damage or death to that area of the heart muscle. In contrast, sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem where the heart suddenly stops beating properly. The heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart to stop pumping blood effectively, leading to a sudden loss of heart function and breathing.
Causes behind the conditionsHeart attacks are mainly caused by blockages in the coronary arteries due to blood clots or buildup of fatty deposits (atherosclerosis). This blockage starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen, eventually dying, even though the patient might survive. Cardiac arrest, however, is usually caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, which disrupts the heart’s electrical signals and stops the heartbeat suddenly. While a heart attack can sometimes trigger cardiac arrest, cardiac arrest can also occur due to other causes like electrical problems, trauma, or severe electrolyte imbalances.SymptomsHeart attacks often come with warning signs that may start slowly or suddenly, even months before. Common symptoms include chest pain or discomfort (often described as pressure, squeezing, or fullness), pain radiating to the arms, neck, jaw, or back, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and lightheadedness. These symptoms can last for minutes or come and go. Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, usually happens without warning. The person suddenly collapses, loses consciousness, stops breathing or shows abnormal gasping breaths, and has no pulse. Unlike heart attacks, cardiac arrest does not typically cause chest pain or sweating beforehand.What happens to the patientDuring a heart attack, the heart usually continues to beat, although it may be weak or irregular. The person remains conscious and may feel pain or discomfort but does not (always) lose consciousness immediately. In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating effectively, so blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. This causes the person to collapse instantl, and lose consciousness within seconds. Without immediate treatment, cardiac arrest leads to death within minutes, and hence the window to save someone is extremely narrow.
Emergency treatmentBoth conditions are medical emergencies, and require immediate treatment. For heart attack, treatments include medications to dissolve clots, angioplasty to open blocked arteries, or surgery. Prompt treatment can limit heart muscle damage and improve survival. Cardiac arrest demands immediate life-saving actions (and within minutes), calling emergency services, starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to keep blood flowing, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore a normal heartbeat. Defibrillation is critical because cardiac arrest is caused by an electrical problem, and only an electric shock can restart the heart.Subtle signsUnfortunately, subtle signs of cardiac arrest are easy to ignore (if they occur at all that is), but recognizing them is crucial for timely intervention. These can include unusual fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations, and even nausea or back pain, particularly in women. These can start weeks, or even months before the cardiac arrest, and can be chronic, or sporadic. (come and go) However, it’s important to remember that sudden cardiac arrest is often unpredictable, and can affect seemingly healthy individuals with no heart issue history.Sources: British Heart Foundation American Heart Association UCHealth American Heart Association – Symptoms
