Dr. Jayne Kivai
Cardiologist
Cardiac Arrest Vs. Heart Attack
CARDIAC ARREST
This is sudden loss of heart function. The heart stops beating. There is no blood supply to all parts of the body. Breathing then stops, the brain shuts down, and you become unconscious and could die within minutes if not treated immediately .
HEART ATTACK
This is when blood flow to your heart is blocked/limited.
Yes, the heart has its own blood supply, from the heart blood vessels.
Cholesterol blocks the vessels that supply the heart muscle.
The blockage may be a slow progressive process, leading to heart failure or it may happen suddenly when the cholesterol plague breaks down leading to a bleed within the vessel and clot formation.
You may end up with cardiac arrest and death if massive.
You may get chest pain, pressure band on your chest, radiating to the jaw, left shoulder and arm, may collapse and lose consciousness.
You may have difficulty in breathing, start sweating and/or become nauseous.
Sooner or later, your legs may start swelling with progressive difficulty in breathing, and you may be uncomfortable while lying down , necessitating additional pillows and waking up to open windows to catch a breath at night.
This is a consequence of heart failure resulting from untreated heart attack .