Heart Attack, Cardiac Arrest and Stroke: Warning Signs and Symptoms

Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest vs Stroke: What Is the Difference?

A heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke are all medical emergencies, but they are not the same condition.

• Heart attack: Happens when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked. The person is usually conscious and may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, light-headedness or pain that spreads to the arm, jaw, neck or back.
• Cardiac arrest: Happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively. The person may collapse, become unresponsive, stop breathing normally and have no pulse. This requires immediate emergency response and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if you are trained to perform it.
• Stroke: Happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Symptoms may include sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the face or body, trouble speaking, confusion, vision changes, loss of balance or a sudden severe headache.

Heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke are medical emergencies that require immediate attention. Although these conditions are sometimes confused with one another, they affect the body in different ways and may have different warning signs.

Learn the key differences between a heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke, and when to seek urgent medical care.

What Is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when one or more parts of the heart muscle is not supplied with sufficient oxygen-rich blood due to a blockage of the blood flow to the heart muscle. This is caused by a clogged artery, which stops oxygenated blood from reaching a part of the heart.

Clogged or blocked artery is caused by atherosclerosis, a condition that occurs when plaque, a sticky substance is accumulated and formed inside the arteries over time due to fats, cholesterol deposits, calcium, and blood cells.

When the plaque is ruptured, it causes clot formation that leads to blockages. As a result, the heart muscles are deprived from oxygen and nutrients and start to die, thus causing a heart attack.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain or discomfort, which involves a stabbing, aching sensation in the centre of the chest that is persistent or worsens over time. It cannot be relieved by rest as well.
• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back. The pain may spread to the left jaw, left shoulder, or left arm.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Cold sweat, light headedness, or feeling faint.

Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment options for a heart attack.

In case of an emergency, call the Accident & Emergency or Ambulance Service at Pantai Hospitals immediately when you suspect someone is having a heart attack.

What Is Cardiac Arrest?

A cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is different from a heart attack.

Sudden cardiac arrest, which is a sudden loss of heart function, breathing and responsiveness, can happen unexpectedly and typically without warning. It is caused by an electrical disruption in the heart which leads to erratic heartbeats (arrhythmia).

This condition is a medical emergency because the heart is unable to pump blood to the lungs, brain and other organs. It can lead to death if not treated immediately.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest

Signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest include:

• Sudden loss of responsiveness or consciousness.
• No pulse, no breathing.

Some other symptoms that may occur before sudden cardiac arrest include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.

Call the Accident & Emergency or Ambulance Service at Pantai Hospitals immediately. If you are trained in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), continue giving compressions to the chest until emergency service is available.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel within the brain gets obstructed by a plaque or a clot or if it bursts. This causes part of the brain tissues to die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients, resulting in memory loss and impairment.

When there is a blood clot in the carotid artery that supplies blood to the brain due to the build-up of plaque, blood circulation is cut off, leading to a stroke.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Signs and symptoms of a stroke include:

• Sudden numbness, tingling or weakness on one side of the body, face, arm, or leg. Look out for the one-side face droop or numbness. The person may not be able to raise up his/her arm too.
• Sudden trouble or difficulty in talking or even understanding a normal conversation. The person may slur their speech or be unable to repeat a simple sentence.
• Sudden confusion.
• Sudden change in vision.
• Sudden loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache

A simple way to remember common stroke warning signs is BEFAST:

• Balance: Sudden loss of balance, dizziness or difficulty walking
• Eyes: Sudden blurred vision, double vision or loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Face: One side of the face droops, feels numb or looks uneven when smiling
• Arms: One arm becomes weak, numb or difficult to raise
• Speech: Speech becomes slurred, confused or difficult to understand
• Time: Call emergency medical services immediately

Stroke symptoms often appear suddenly. Even if the symptoms improve or disappear, seek urgent medical care as this may be a warning sign of a transient ischaemic attack or stroke.

Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment options for a stroke.

Call the Accident & Emergency or Ambulance Service at Pantai Hospitals immediately when you suspect someone is having a stroke.