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Know the difference between a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest

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I am often asked if a heart attack and cardiac arrest are the same. While they both involve the heart, they are two totally different life-threatening events. A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked. A sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating. A heart attack is a circulation problem, and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is both an electrical and circulation problem.

However, unlike SCA, the heart usually does not stop beating during a heart attack. Most heart attacks do not lead to sudden cardiac arrest but when SCA occurs, a heart attack is a common cause.

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and it doesn’t receive oxygen. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage.

Common symptoms: Some heart attacks are sudden and intense but most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort and can last for hours. Often, people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help.

Here are some signs of a heart attack:

1. Chest discomfort: Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the chest; it can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Known as Referred Pain -include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

2. Shortness of breath: With or without chest discomfort, other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely to experience some of the other symptoms, often shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. Diabetics may also have non-typical or lessened symptoms.

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