Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest

Many individuals often confuse "heart attack" and "cardiac arrest," using them interchangeably, yet they represent two distinct medical emergencies. A heart attack resembles a plumbing issue; it occurs when the blood flow to the heart muscle is partially or completely obstructed, usually by a blood clot. Imagine it as a traffic jam within the heart's blood vessels. In contrast, cardiac arrest is akin to an electrical system breakdown.

The heart's rhythm suddenly becomes irregular, and it stops beating.

Symptoms can differ significantly between men and women, making these emergencies more difficult to handle. For men, common heart attack symptoms include chest pain that feels like an elephant sitting on the chest, pain spreading down the left arm, and breaking out in a cold sweat. Women often face a different scenario. Instead of intense chest pain, they might experience subtle signs such as extreme fatigue, nausea, dizziness, or discomfort resembling indigestion. These subtle symptoms can lead women to dismiss a serious cardiac event as merely feeling "off." Because these symptoms are general and non-specific, women may experience them for hours, days, or even weeks before the heart attack, considering them as nothing unusual, cautions the American Red Cross.

No matter when a cardiac emergency occurs, every second is crucial.

This information is based on the First Aid Manual, your need-to-know guide. First Aid special issue. 2025