Health

What’s the Difference Between Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack?

A heart attack is when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. The heart muscle is robbed of its vital blood supply and, if left untreated, will begin to die because it is not getting enough oxygen. A cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart stops pumping blood around their body and they stop breathing normally.

Chances are you’ve heard about — or even saw — the terrifying Monday Night Football incident Jan. 2, 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the first quarter of the game.

Medical personnel intervened immediately, removing Hamlin’s helmet, providing oxygen from a portable tank and performing CPR for about eight minutes before loading him onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Hours later, the Bills organization released a statement stating, “[Hamlin] suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in the Buffalo Bills’ game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field … He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

The 24-year-old Hamlin is still listed in critical condition and it’s not clear what caused the cardiac arrest.

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What Is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest is a sudden stoppage of the heart’s electrical system in a person who may or may not have heart disease or coronary artery disease (CAD). The heart stops beating properly.

A heart attack, on the other hand, is a condition that is typically caused by problems in the circulatory system that have built up over time, despite the seemingly sudden onset of the attack.

Most heart attacks are caused by CAD, which occurs when plaque builds up in the walls of arteries that take blood to the heart.

As arteries narrow (a process called atherosclerosis), the heart must work harder to pump blood. Chest pain — or angina — is the most common symptom of CAD. It’s the first clue that a person has had a heart attack. Other symptoms include weakness, lightheadedness, nausea or cold sweats, pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder, and shortness of breath.

During a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is blocked or slowed considerably. If the blocked artery isn’t reopened quickly, the portion of the heart fed by that artery is damaged, sometimes beyond repair.

5 differences between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest:

A heart attack is not the same as a cardiac arrest.
A heart attack is when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. The heart muscle is robbed of its vital blood supply and, if left untreated, will begin to die because it is not getting enough oxygen.
A cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart stops pumping blood around their body and they stop breathing normally.
Many cardiac arrests in adults happen because of a heart attack. This is because a person who is having a heart attack may develop a dangerous heart rhythm, which can cause a cardiac arrest.
A heart attack and a cardiac arrest are both emergency situations.

What’s the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest?

Our animation explains the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest and what to do in these emergencies.