Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) vs. Heart Attack

There is big difference between sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack. The causes, signs, and treatments are different as well. The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. About 1 in every 4 people in the US dies a result of heart disease (https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000757). While heart disease can be a precipitating factor for both SCA and heart attack, it’s important to note that SCA results from an electrical malfunction and heart attack results from poor circulation or blood flow.

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when there is an electrical malfunction of the heart’s rhythm which interferes with the pumping of blood throughout the body. The heart ultimately stops beating following SCA. This often results in fatality because if resuscitation is not obtained within minutes, organs like the brain are unable to receive oxygenated blood from the heart and will soon fail.

Signs of SCA include: Cardiac Arrest occurs suddenly with no forewarning in almost 50% of cases. Heart attack can lead to SCA if the lack of blood flow to the heart without treatment is prolonged. If symptoms do appear prior to SCA, they are very similar to those of a heart attack. The victim may experience:

• chest pain

• Shortness of breath

• Profuse sweating

• Dizziness

• Fatigue
  
  SCA is also associated with the victim soon losing consciousness, stops breathing, and the heart completely stops pumping.
  
  Treatment of SCA include: Immediately begin CPR starting with chest compressions, apply AED as quickly as possible, have someone call 911. The victim must be resuscitated to restore normal heart function within 10 minutes or fatality will occur.
  
  Heart attack occurs when there is a blockage of blood flow to the heart. Heart attacks are far more common than cardiac arrest, but tend to be less fatal. The heart is a muscle and needs an adequate amount of oxygenated blood to survive, if not, it will die.
  
  Signs of heart attack include: The victim is usually still responsive and heart is still beating. A victim may be experiencing symptoms hours or even days leading up to a heart attack. Not everyone experiencing a heart attack will display all of the same symptoms. So it is important to take even the slightest one seriously. The most common symptom is chest pain or tightness in the center of the chest. Others may include:
  -

• shortness of breath

• Profuse sweating

• Dizziness

• Nausea/vomiting

• Jaw pain

• Heart palpitations

• Coughing

• Arm pain radiating to the back

  
  **women may present symptoms differently than men. ie jaw pain and nausea are more common in women, whereas chest and arm pain are more common in men.
  
  Treatment of heart attack include: Medication and/or surgery will be required to restore the hearts normal blood flow.
  
  Prevention is key. Take steps to save a life today with the things you can ultimately control. That includes improving your lifestyle choices: eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise regularly, don’t smoke; but also educate yourself and learn methods necessary to assist others in case of a cardiac emergency like CPR and using an AED.