Posts

Difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest

/0 Comments/in /by

People often think that a heart attack is the same thing as a cardiac arrest. This, however, is not true. In order to understand the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest, it is first necessary to understand what happens in both of these processes.

What is a heart attack?

The heart is a muscle, and like all muscles it requires an oxygen-rich blood supply. This is provided to the heart by coronary arteries. A heart attack occurs when there is a blockage of the coronary arteries. This is often caused by a blood clot. Such a blockage, if not quickly resolved, can cause parts of heart muscle to begin to die. 

What is a cardiac arrest?

A cardiac arrest is different to a heart attack. In a cardiac arrest the heart actually stops beating; whereas in a heart attack the heart normally continues to beat even though the blood supply to the heart is disrupted. 

Symptoms of a heart attack and of cardiac arrest

In addition to the physiological mechanism being different, the symptoms of a heart attack and a cardiac arrest also vary.

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

  • Chest pain – this is often a feeling of tightness in the center of the chest which may last for several minutes and will not decrease upon resting (although the most common symptom of a heart attack, not all patients having a heart attack will experience chest pain)
  • Spreading of chest pain to other areas, most commonly to the arms, jaw, neck, back and abdomen
  • Shortness of breath
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Feeling or being sick
  • Anxiety
  • Light-headedness or dizziness
  • Sweating
  • Weakness
  • Palpitations (noticeable heartbeats)

Symptoms of a cardiac arrest include:

  • Sudden loss of consciousness/responsiveness
  • No breathing
  • No pulse 

The lack of pulse is caused by the heart actually stopping during a cardiac arrest. As a consequence of this, the organs of the body are deprived of blood – this can lead to death. 

The following warning signs may also occur in the period before a cardiac arrest:

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Palpitations
  • Nausea 

Causes of heart attacks and cardiac arrests

Cardiac arrests have several potential causes. These include:

  • Ventricular fibrillation – an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) where the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles) beat irregularly
  • Ventricular tachycardia
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Changes of the heart structure
  • Pacemaker failure
  • Respiratory arrest
  • Choking
  • Drowning
  • Electrocution
  • Hypothermia
  • Dramatic drop in blood pressure
  • Drug abuse
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • An unknown reason

A cardiac arrest can also be caused by a heart attack. In fact, according to the British Heart Foundation, the majority of cardiac arrests in the UK are caused by heart attacks. 

A heart attack itself involves a cut off in the blood supply to part of the heart muscle. If a large enough portion of the heart is affected, then the heart may stop beating, i.e. a cardiac arrest may occur.

But what about heart attacks themselves? What causes them? Well, in contrast to cardiac arrests, heart attacks are generally caused by one main factor – coronary heart disease (CHD).  CHD is a condition that is generally caused by fatty deposits building up in the coronary arteries, which provide oxygenated blood to the heart. This is also known as atherosclerosis.  Those most at risk of CHD include:

  • Smokers
  • Those who eat an unhealthy diet – one that is high in saturated fat
  • Those with high blood pressure
  • Those with diabetes
  • Overweight or obese people
  • People who do not exercise frequently
  • Older people, in particularly older men
  • Those with a family history of heart disease
  • People who have been exposed to air pollution, particularly traffic pollution

People with CHD may experience a heart attack if a plaque, (a raised patch on the artery wall) splits and causes a blood clot which in turn blocks the coronary artery. 
Source: http://www.news-medical.net/health/Heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest-difference.aspx

iMedWorks Ask Platform Links below:

1. Get a Medical Second Opinion
2. Search doctors and Request Appointment

MRI Predicts Potential Recovery from Cardiac Arrest Related Brain Damage

/0 Comments/in /by

MRI, which measures functional connections in the brain may be used to predict long-term recovery in patients who suffer neurological disability after cardiac arrest, says study. The Findings are published in the journal Radiology.

Cardiac arrest, or abrupt loss of heart function, is a common and often deadly occurrence that affects hundreds of thousands of people every year in the United States alone, according to the American Heart Association. Many patients who survive end up with severe neurological disabilities, as the temporary loss of oxygenated blood flow to the brain can result in widespread neuronal cell death.

The researchers assessed the brain’s functional connectivity in 46 patients who were in a coma following cardiac arrest. The imaging, performed within two weeks of cardiac arrest, included studies of brain structure and function. Functional imaging focused on four well-characterized networks in the brain, including the default mode network, which is active when a person is not engaged in a specific task, and the salience network, a collection of brain regions that select which stimuli are deserving of our attention.

One year after the patients’ cardiac arrests, the researchers assessed the patients with the Cerebral Performance Category Scale, a commonly used measure of neurological function following cardiac arrest. Eleven patients had favorable outcomes. Functional connectivity was stronger in those who achieved higher levels of independence at one year compared with those who were heavily dependent. The changes in functional connectivity between networks predicted outcomes with greater accuracy than any of the MRI structural measures tested.

“This is game-changing information about what happens in the brains of people who suffer cardiac arrest,” Dr. Stevens said. “We realize that network architectures can be selectively disrupted in this setting.”

A key predictor of outcomes was the interaction between the brain’s default mode and salience networks. These two networks are normally anti-correlated, meaning that as the default mode network becomes more active, activity is reduced in the salience network, and vice versa. When researchers compared the brain imaging results of patients who had favorable outcomes with those who did not, they noticed a stark difference.

“Anti-correlation was preserved in patients who recovered and abolished in those who did not,” Dr. Stevens said. “Relative preservation of this anti-correlation was the most robust signal of a favorable outcome.”

The results indicate that connectivity measures could be early markers of long-term recovery potential in patients with cardiac arrest-related brain damage, the researchers said.

While researchers don’t expect connectome analysis with MRI to be the single “magic bullet” solution to predicting outcomes, it could increase the confidence that clinicians have in communicating with patients’ families in the wake of cardiac arrest. Additionally, fMRI could aid in the development of therapeutic interventions for neurologically disabled patients.

“Connectome studies have the potential to change not only outcome prediction, but to guide treatment as well,” Dr. Stevens said.

Source: http://www.medindia.net/news/mri-predicts-potential-recovery-from-cardiac-arrest-related-brain-damage-173880-1.htm

iMedWorks Ask Platform Links below:

1. Get a Medical Second Opinion
2. Search doctors and Request Appointment

What is the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest?

/0 Comments/in /by

One of the most prolific and beloved political figures of India, Sushma Swaraj suffered a massive cardiac on Tuesday night and left the whole country in grief. The untimely death of the former foreign minister has triggered a wave of shock and disbelief with emotional tributes pouring in from all the sects of the society.

The BJP leader, 67, was taken to Delhi’s AIIMS hospital and rushed straight away to the emergency ward in an extremely critical condition. While we come in terms with the sudden demise of the popular people’s leader, here is detailed break-down of the difference between heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest.
A lot of media outlets are using the terms heart attack and cardiac arrest interchangeably, mistaking it to be the same disease, but they are not. To understand the difference between the two, it is important to know what exactly happens in the body during both heart attack and cardiac arrest.
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack happens when there is a blockage in the coronary arteries. They are the blood vessels which supply blood to the cardiac muscle. Since the heart is a muscle, it requires oxygen-rich blood to function. A blockage in the coronary arteries causes a heart attack as the blood flow to the cardiac muscle is stopped. If the blocked coronary arteries are not opened quickly, the heart muscles may start dying.


What is cardiac arrest?
A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating altogether. It is triggered by an electric malfunction in the heart, which further results in an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). This is the primary difference between the two, as in case of heart attack, the heart still keeps beating even if the blood supply is blocked to the cardiac muscle.
What happens after a cardiac arrest?
Since the heart stops beating, it may result in unconsciousness, no breathing and no pulse. Death due to cardiac arrest may occur within just a few minutes if prompt treatment is not provided.


Risk factor for heart attack
Those at the most risk for a heart attack are:
1. Overweight or obese people
2. A family history of heart diseases
3. High blood pressure
4. Diabetes
5. Lack of physical exercise
6. A sedentary lifestyle


Risk factors for cardiac arrest
1. Usage of recreational drugs
2. Heart medications
3. Damage to the heart muscle
4. Heart rhythm abnormalities


The bottom line
To reduce the risk of cardiac arrest, it is crucial that you get routine checkups and heart screenings done. In case of a cardiac arrest, it is extremely important to act as soon as possible as prompt action can actually save a life. Start doing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) right away till the time emergency services do not arrive.

In the case of a heart attack, call an ambulance straight away and begin CPR if the patient has become unconscious. You may give the person an aspirin tablet (unless the doctor has prescribed otherwise).

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/sushma-swarajs-death-the-difference-between-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest/articleshow/70568371.cms

iMedWorks Ask Platform Links below:

1. Get a Medical Second Opinion
2. Search doctors and Request Appointment