Cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) are often used interchangeably. Both heart conditions have similar symptoms and can be life-threatening, however, both heart diseases are different that require precautions and treatments accordingly.
Heart attack and its symptoms
Heart attack is a condition when a clogged artery stops oxygen-rich blood from reaching a portion of the heart. If the blocked artery is not restored immediately, then the region of the heart begins to perish. If this condition persists for long, the consequences can be fatal. Therefore, the role of an artery is very essential in delivering and nourishing the heart.
Symptoms of a heart attack usually begin slowly and last for hours, days, or weeks. In contrast with SCA, a heart attack normally does not cause the heart to stop beating. It is important to know that everyone might not experience the same signs and symptoms. The most common symptoms in these patients are chest pain, shortness of breath, or fatigue days or weeks before having a heart attack. A heart attack can have immediate and severe symptoms.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest and its symptoms
The heart stops beating and must be restarted in cardiac arrest. While a heart attack is caused by a disruption in the heart's rhythm, cardiac arrest is caused by an electrical issue in the heart. Most heart attacks do not result in cardiac arrest. A heart attack, on the other hand, is a common cause of cardiac arrest. In many circumstances, cardiac arrest is a transient state that occurs as a result of a medical emergency. Because the heart stops pumping blood to the brain, lungs, and other organs, they are deprived of the blood and oxygen they require. If left untreated, cardiac arrest can result in death within minutes. Dizziness, loss of consciousness, and shortness of breath are all symptoms of cardiac arrest. A person will become unresponsive and have difficulty breathing within seconds of cardiac arrest.
Although heart disease is not always present, many patients experience warning symptoms up to a month before cardiac arrest.
What is the connection?
There is a link between these two different heart conditions. After a heart attack or during recovery, sudden cardiac arrest can occur.
Heart attacks raise the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. 75% of sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) are linked to a previous heart attack. Most heart attacks do not result in cardiac arrest. However, a heart attack is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest. Other heart problems can also cause the heart's rhythm to be disrupted, resulting in sudden cardiac arrest. A thickening heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), heart failure, arrhythmias, especially ventricular fibrillation, and protracted Q-T syndrome are among them.
What are some ways to help prevent heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest?
A good start is to develop heart-healthy habits. Talk to your doctor about ways to lower your blood pressure, quit smoking, control diabetes, remain active, and eat a heart-healthy diet to help prevent heart attacks or SCA.
If you have a heart ailment or have had a history of heart attacks, your doctor will discuss preventive care alternatives with you. These may include the following:
Medication: To decrease cholesterol, prevent future heart attacks, control blood pressure, or prevent blood clots may be recommended by your doctor.
Ablation: Heart attacks can impair the electrical conduction system by causing damage to the heart muscle. Ablation, which involves the burning or freezing of heart tissue, can be used to fix faulty electrical circuits.
Surgical procedures: If you have a genetic disease that puts you at risk for electrical heart problems, a surgical procedure may be recommended. Today, we also have medical devices that protect a person from SCA. Implantable Defibrillator (ICD) or Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator (S-ICD) helps in analyzing the heart rhythm. These medical devices are 99% successful and might be recommended by the doctor.
Stents: Scaffold-like devices that open blocked coronary arteries and enhance blood flow, reducing the risk of future heart attacks.
The most important preventive care is talking about your symptoms, if you feel it, report them.
(By: Dr. Aparna Jaswal is a Director – Cardiac Pacing & Electrophysiology at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi)
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