Are You Puzzled Between Heart Attack And Cardiac Arrest? Know The Differences
According to the data revealed by the American Heart Association, approximately every 40 seconds an individual experiences Heart Attack. The estimated incidence of heart attacks is 720,000 annually. The death rate due to this condition is about 14%. Around 350,000 people lose their lives due to cardiac arrest annually. That’s about, 1000 people every day.
Cardiac arrest and heart attack are two different conditions that people often get confused. It is important to acknowledge some basics about the heart and its conditions. It will help to understand the difference between Heart Attack and cardiac arrest.
Role Of The Heart
The heart is an important organ in the circulatory system of the body. It pumps blood throughout the body, circulatory system by supplying oxygen and nutrients to the cells. It also removes carbon dioxide and other wastes from the body. The electrical signals are sent cell to cells across the heart muscle that leads the heart to pump blood in a particular rhythm. In other words, an electrical system generated in the heart controls the circulatory system.
The malfunctioning of the heart results in conditions such as heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. It affects people in different ways.
Heart Attack
When the blood is unable to flow through one or more arteries of the heart that supply oxygen and nutrients to heart muscle, it results in a heart attack. When the heart fails to receive oxygen and nutrients, tissues in the heart die, which leads to a heart attack. The condition refers to a problem with the circulatory system.
Cardiac Arrest
When the electrical system fails to work, sudden cardiac arrest occurs. The main causes of electrical system problems are heart attack, changes in the structure of heart as a consequence of previous heart attack or disease, high blood pressure, and stress. Electrical problems lead to abnormal beating of the heart or stop beating altogether. As a consequence, heart can no longer supply blood to the body and death can occur immediately.
Treatment
It is very important to treat both sudden cardiac arrest and Heart Attack. For sudden cardiac arrest, an atrial defibrillation device is useful to restart the electrical activity in the heart. A proper medication can also help to prevent certain types of irregular heartbeat. Flecainide Acetate, an active ingredient is an anti-arrhythmic drug that blocks certain electrical signals in the heart that can cause an irregular heartbeat. This medication can be used to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. It is sold under the popular brand name of Tambocor.
Healthy Heart: The Assured Path To Live Longer
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