Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Difference Between a Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack - heart attack vs cardiac arrest, heart attack difference, cardiac arrest meaning, what causes cardiac arrest, CPR steps, heart disease, emergency response, signs of heart attack, sudden collapse, AED machine

By YEET Magazine Staff, YEET Magazine
Published October 23, 2025

Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

It’s one of the most misunderstood medical topics online — people often say “heart attack” when they really mean “cardiac arrest.” But the truth is, they’re not the same. Knowing the difference could save a life.

Doctors say a heart attack happens when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, often by a clot or fatty buildup. The heart keeps beating, but it’s starved of oxygen. That’s why symptoms — chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness — can start slowly and get worse over time. It’s a circulation problem.

A cardiac arrest, however, is completely different. It happens when the heart’s electrical system suddenly fails, causing it to stop beating entirely. Within seconds, the person loses consciousness and stops breathing. This is a true medical emergency — survival depends on immediate CPR and a defibrillator.

Cardiologist Dr. Sarah Lang from Mount Sinai Hospital explains it simply:

“Think of a heart attack as a ‘plumbing issue’ and cardiac arrest as an ‘electrical issue.’ One can cause the other, but they’re not the same thing.”

In many cases, a severe heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest, but cardiac arrest can also happen on its own — due to trauma, drug use, or underlying heart rhythm disorders.

According to the American Heart Association, nine out of ten people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital die— often because bystanders don’t know how to react in time.

Experts recommend everyone learn hands-only CPR and know the signs:

• Heart attack: pain or pressure in the chest, nausea, sweating, fatigue.
• Cardiac arrest: no pulse, no breathing, collapse.

If it’s a heart attack, call emergency services immediately.
If it’s cardiac arrest, start CPR and use an AED if available — every second counts.

As Dr. Lang puts it,

“You can’t always prevent a cardiac event, but you can always be prepared.”

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