{"id":34296,"date":"2025-07-24T18:02:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T18:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/34296\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T18:02:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T18:02:08","slug":"the-difference-between-a-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/34296\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference Between A Heart Attack And Cardiac Arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"

News broke Thursday morning that Hulk Hogan has passed away<\/a> at the age of 71. The retired wrestling icon reportedly died following a cardiac arrest incident. <\/p>\n

There have been many high-profile stories of cardiac arrest in recent years. In July 2023, basketball player Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest<\/a> during a USC practice session. Earlier that year in January, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals with the same issue.<\/p>\n

Cardiac arrest is a terrifying event no person \u2015 or family \u2015 ever wants to experience. The recent news stories of cardiac arrests among athletes have certainly put a spotlight on this type of medical emergency and the potentially lifesaving steps bystanders can take.<\/p>\n

\"Retired<\/p>\n

Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Retired wrestler Hulk Hogan died on July 24. <\/p>\n

What Is Cardiac Arrest?<\/p>\n

\u201cCardiac arrest is when your heart stops completely and is no longer pumping blood to your vital organs, like the brain, liver and kidneys,\u201d Dr. Comilla Sasson, the vice president for science and innovation for emergency cardiovascular care at the American Heart Association<\/a>, told HuffPost. <\/p>\n

Cardiac arrest can stem from a known heart condition or occur suddenly and unexpectedly. The most common cause is ventricular fibrillation \u2015 a type of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. It\u2019s an electrical disturbance that prevents the heart from doing its job properly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been some speculation that what happened to Damar Hamlin was something called commotio cordis,\u201d Sasson said. \u201cSomething hits you in the chest \u2015 blunt chest trauma \u2015 and does it at the exact time your heart is contracting. That sets your heart into an irregular rhythm, ventricular fibrillation, so your heart can no longer pump like it should, leading to cardiac arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commotio cordis was first described in the context of 18th-century laborers<\/a>, but more recently this sort of blunt trauma event has tended to occur in sports like baseball, hockey, lacrosse and football. Although several medical experts have pointed to commotio cordis<\/a> as a potential explanation for Hamlin\u2019s cardiac arrest, they\u2019ve also emphasized that the public is not privy to the personal medical information necessary to identify a cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenetic conditions can make your heart have an irregular heart rhythm,\u201d Sasson said. \u201cAthletes can also be prone to something called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,\u201d she added, describing it as a thickening of heart muscle that is sometimes seen among elite athletes engaged in heavy training.<\/p>\n

Anyone admitted to the hospital following cardiac arrest will undergo testing to determine a cause and treatment protocol. <\/p>\n

Heart Attacks vs. Cardiac Arrest<\/p>\n

Although people often use the terms \u201ccardiac arrest\u201d and \u201cheart attack\u201d interchangeably, they are different medical events. <\/p>\n

\u201cHeart attack, in the colloquial sense, is what we would refer to as an acute myocardial infarction,\u201d said Dr. Matthew Tomey, a cardiologist and the director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Mount Sinai Morningside<\/a>. \u201cSome of the heart muscle is severely jeopardized or dies, typically due to an insufficiency of oxygen supply compared to demand for oxygen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Basically, there\u2019s an artery blockage that prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching part of the heart, and if it\u2019s not reopened quickly, that section can die. So in a heart attack, the heart is still pumping, but the blood supply is cut off. With a cardiac arrest, the heart is not pumping.<\/p>\n

\"Buffalo<\/p>\n

Kirk Irwin via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cA heart attack or myocardial infarction can be the inciting cause for a cardiac arrest, but the two are distinct,\u201d Tomey said. \u201cMost heart attacks do not cause cardiac arrest. However, a sizable percent of cardiac arrests result from some type of heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

While a cardiac arrest happens quickly, the symptoms of a heart attack more often build slowly (though they can be immediate as well).<\/p>\n

\u201cMany patients will have a heart attack and slowly feel the classic symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath,\u201d said Dr. Lawrence Phillips, a cardiologist at the NYU Langone Health<\/a> medical center. \u201cThey then come to the emergency room hopefully early, where professionals diagnose a heart attack and open up the blood vessel that has the blockage using catheters and stents. There can be damage to the heart muscle, but we can decrease that risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a cardiac arrest, it\u2019s important to immediately start providing emergency care, as every minute makes a difference for the chance of survival. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone has a cardiac arrest, it\u2019s really an acute cessation of the heart\u2019s ability to provide blood, usually from an arrhythmia, so the heart is not able to pump,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cIt\u2019s often very abrupt. Someone will slump over or collapse. We try to use whatever means we have to bring them back.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Importance Of CPR For Treating Cardiac Arrest<\/p>\n

The American Heart Association estimates<\/a> that more than 356,000 cardiac arrests occur outside a hospital in the U.S. each year, and about 90% result in death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a range of outcomes for individuals who survive cardiac arrest,\u201d Tomey said. \u201cThe best outcome is to return to your baseline level of function physically and neurologically. Some individuals will survive but have some degree of residual neurologic impairment, and the degree can range quite widely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your best chance at improving someone\u2019s outcome after cardiac arrest is to act fast by administering CPR. In the case of Hamlin, the NFL confirmed that he received CPR on the field, and others present reported the use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED, as well. <\/p>\n

\u201cOnce cardiac arrest starts, blood flow stops,\u201d said Dr. John Bozinovski, a cardiac surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center<\/a>. \u201cTwo organs that are quite sensitive to lack of blood supply are the brain and heart, with the brain being exquisitely sensitive to injury. If blood circulation is not restored, brain injury can start within minutes and become irreversible shortly thereafter. The longer the lack the blood flow, the greater and more extensive the injury to the brain and other organs.\u201d<\/p>\n

CPR is a way to restore blood flow, using mechanical energy to move blood to the vital organs. By doing chest compressions, you essentially act as a person\u2019s heart while theirs isn\u2019t working. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe prompt administration of CPR can double or triple likelihood of survival by getting oxygen back to the body,\u201d Phillips noted. <\/p>\n

Bystander CPR saves lives. <\/p>\n

In the event of a cardiac emergency, Dial 9-1-1 and administer hands-only CPR along with an AED, if available. https:\/\/t.co\/EECGGxm9fG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 American Heart Association (@American_Heart) January 3, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

And you don\u2019t have to be formally CPR-certified to perform the lifesaving procedure. The American Heart Association recommends using \u201chands-only CPR\u201d in the event of a cardiac emergency. <\/p>\n

\u201cConventional CPR, which is typically used by trained health care providers, utilizes chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing, whereas hands-only CPR does not use mouth-to-mouth breathing and is meant to be utilized by the public at large,\u201d said body performance and injury expert Rami Hashish<\/a>. \u201cOutside of the hospital, hands-only CPR has been found to be more effective in preserving life than conventional CPR. Reasons as to why this may be included poor quality of, and time loss during, mouth-to-mouth ventilation by the nonmedically trained public.\u201d<\/p>\n

The health experts who spoke to HuffPost emphasized how easy hands-only CPR is to learn and pointed to short videos that demonstrate<\/a> how to do these chest compressions. While medical professionals might be well versed in combining chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth (along with other tools at their disposal), the general public tends to feel less comfortable with traditional CPR and thus less inclined to act swiftly in an emergency.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve found that with hands-only CPR, people feel much more empowered to take action and do something,\u201d Phillips noted. \u201cTake those moments to learn. Almost 90% of cardiac arrests occur in the home or workplace, so take a few minutes to learn this skill because the person who might need it could be your family member or co-worker.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Should You Do In The Event Of Cardiac Arrest?<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are experiencing a cardiac arrest, try to get to a place where you are not alone, or signal to someone you are in distress before you are incapacitated,\u201d Bozinovski said, noting that it sometimes happens too fast for you to dial 911, so asking someone nearby is best. <\/p>\n

If you suspect someone else is experiencing cardiac arrest, take prompt action. Check for signs of consciousness, a pulse or breathing. Ask another bystander to call 911 or make the call yourself if no one else is around. Then begin hands-only CPR. <\/p>\n

\u201cPut your hands at the center of the chest and push hard and fast until help arrives,\u201d Sasson said. \u201cTry to push at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute \u2015 the tune of \u2018Stayin\u2019 Alive\u2019 or \u2018Hips Don\u2019t Lie.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Another important step is checking for an available AED, which can reset the heart\u2019s natural rhythm. AEDs are typically available at workplaces, schools and sporting venues. <\/p>\n

\u201cDoing CPR immediately until such time that the defibrillator can be brought to the person in distress is important at limiting the time of no blood supply to the brain and other organs,\u201d Bozinovski said. \u201cHave a third person bring the AED and follow the instructions. These devices are made to provide guidance [on] how to place the paddles, will read the rhythm and provide shock if indicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

He suggested watching a video or taking a course to learn more about using an AED as well. Still, Sasson emphasized that these devices are designed to be used by those without prior experience. <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people are very fearful. \u2018What if i do it wrong? What if I shock someone who shouldn\u2019t be shocked?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s built to determine if the person needs a shock. You cannot hurt somebody with an AED.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideally, the person\u2019s pulse will be restored and medical professionals can transfer them to the hospital, as was the case with Hamlin. Although the public will likely have to wait for more updates on the NFL player\u2019s condition, there are steps you can take to make your family and community safer and more prepared for cardiac emergencies. <\/p>\n

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We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.<\/p>\n

Thank you again for your support along the way. We\u2019re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPeople feel helpless right now beyond praying for Damar and his family,\u201d Sasson said. \u201cBut I hope people will also take a few minutes to watch the AHA\u2019s CPR videos<\/a> and share them with loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also recommended making an emergency response plan for your household and reaching out to your children\u2019s schools, community centers and sporting facilities to make sure there are procedures in place for a cardiac arrest event there as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk who is trained in CPR, where the AEDs are located, how often they\u2019re charged, if they\u2019re always accessible, who calls 911,\u201d Sasson said. \u201cThese events aren\u2019t as rare as people think. Preparedness and early recognition are everything.\u201d<\/p>\n