A heart attack is a circulation problem — a blocked artery starving heart muscle of oxygen while the person is usually still awake and breathing, often with chest pressure, arm or jaw discomfort, sweating, or nausea. Cardiac arrest is an electrical problem — the heart abruptly stops pumping, and the person collapses, becomes unresponsive, and stops breathing normally. The distinction drives your response: a suspected heart attack means calling emergency services and keeping the person calm, still, and monitored; cardiac arrest means calling emergency services and starting CPR immediately. A heart attack can deteriorate into cardiac arrest, so anyone with heart attack symptoms should never be left alone.
A heart attack is a circulation problem where a blocked artery starves heart muscle of oxygen while the person is usually still conscious; cardiac arrest is an electrical problem where the heart sudd…