HEART ATTACK OR CARDIAC ARREST?

Cardiac arrest isn’t the same as a heart attack.

Cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction of the heart.  It suddenly and unexpectedly, stops beating.

During cardiac arrest the heart stops pumping, and blood no longer flows through the body.

The victim of cardiac arrest cannot breathe and loses consciousness.  Emergency defibrillation and CPR should be done as soon as possible. Without immediate medical attention, death occurs within a few minutes.  .

A heart attack is an arterial problem occurring when blood flow to the heart is blocked, due to the gradual build up of plaque along artery walls.  This build up is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque is made of fat, calcium, cholesterol and other substances in the blood.  As plaque hardens, the walls of the arteries become narrow, limiting the flow of blood. Atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body, and can lead to heart attack, stroke or death.

Copyright 2013 Irene Pastore and Blue Moon Personal Training