# Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack

### **<span style="color: rgb(224, 62, 45);">Heart attacks and cardiac arrest are not the same thing.</span>**

##### **<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Heart Attack:</span>**

- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked by a clot.</span>
- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The longer the person with a heart attack goes without treatment, the greater the damage to the heart muscle.</span>
- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Occasionally, the damaged heart muscle triggers an abnormal rhythm that can lead to cardiac arrest.</span>

##### **<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Cardiac Arrest:</span>**

- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Occurs due to an abnormal heart rhythm. </span>
- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The abnormal rhythm causes the heart to quiver so that it can no longer pump blood to the brain, lungs, and other organs.</span>
- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Within seconds, the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing or is only gasping.</span>
- ##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive lifesaving treatment.</span>