Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest

[Spike78]

Hi everyone,

Just wondered if anyone knows what the difference is between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest (if any).

Thanks

[screwpanic]

Cardiac arrest your dead, heart attack your alive but a part of your heart is dying due to lack of blood supplying that area. Severe heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest unless early intervention takes place ie thrombolisation or Cath lab intervention. Cardiac arrest can occur from a variety of reasons ranging from electrolyte imbalance, massive blood loss, drug induced etc. Cardiac arrests can be classified as asystole, pea, vt or vf.

[Spike78]

Thanks screwpanic.

One more question (if anyone knows the answer) are the symptoms of cardiac arrest the same as heart attack.

Thanks

[stamags]

hi
last april when i was with my mother she had cardiac arrest, for about an hour or so before she had severe pain in chest and back, I had just got to her house when she said she wasnt feeling well, phoned gp but before they got back to me my mum arrested.dialed 999 and did cpr until ambulance got to us about 20 mins, was the worst thing i have ever had to do hence the state i am in now. They shocked her and got her heart started again then took her to card lab for a stent. to cut along story short she passed away two weeks later, too much damaged done to her heart. I have relived this every single day since but I had to try and save her.
Diane

[Geoff2301]

From what I understand, a cardiac arrest is where the heart actually stops........ it can be restarted with CPR or one of those machines that gives you an electric shock..... defibrillator or something like that........ but it has to be done quickly or permanent brain damage results.
With a heart attack, one of the coronary arteries feeding blood to the heart muscle usually becomes blocked or partially blocked........ this can lead to permanent damage to the heart muscle if the blockage is not cleared. The heart however does, so I understood, continue pumping, inefficiently, and causing pain in the chest. Obviously, a cardiac arrest is a lot more serious than an attack!

[nomorepanic]

I had a heart attack - or to give it the correct term an M.I. in Sept 2008. One of my arteries was blocked and I had a metal stent put in.

The left side of my heart has been left damaged by this and it cannot repair itself so I in effect now live with heart failure.

Why were you asking is this something you worry about?

[Spike78]

Thanks everyone for your comments and Diane - I am really sorry to hear about your mum. That must have been dreadful for you but at least you did what you could to try and save her.

I worry constantly about my heart and this week its the turn of cardiac arrest. I have had loads of tests done on my heart (privately) and there is nothing wrong with it but I still worry. I so wish I could put this out of my head and get on but I can't. I am feeling really lightheaded today and I think it is because I am worrying so much. I have been googling as well which is not good - I will never learn.