Many of us use both terms without distinction to refer to sudden pains in the heart. Although they are frequently confused, since both leave permanent sequelae, and can even take the lives of people who suffer from them, the reality is that “heart attack” and “cardiac arrest” are not the same.
A heart attack is a heart attack: a heart attack . The heart is responsible for pumping blood to reach the entire body, distributing oxygen and nutrients to all cells. When you have a heart attack, the heart continues to beat, but the blood does not reach the heart or part of it. This usually happens because the arteries , which are responsible for carrying oxygenated blood to the heart, are blocked . If the heart attack is very strong, it can lead to cardiac arrest, but not the other way around.
A cardiac arrest is the same as a cardiorespiratory arrest, meaning that the lungs also stop working . In this case, the rhythm of the heartbeat is altered, causing arrhythmias. Then the heart beats faster or slower than it should, causing what is called cardiac arrest. If cardiac arrest occurs and proper medical care is not administered, the person who suffers it is likely to die.
strong>Defibrillators are used to restore normal heart rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest. The chance of survival is reduced by between 7% and 10% every minute that passes after a cardiac arrest. For this reason, at Neosalus we trust and work for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through the use of defibrillators (AED) , since the chances of surviving up to a 75%.