'Amma' suffers cardiac arrest; What is it and how is it different from a heart attack?

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, died in Chennai on Monday night after 74 days of struggle for life ending an era in Tamil Nadu politics. She died at the age of 68. Jayalalithaa breathed her last at the Apollo Hospital last night night where she was admitted on September 22 after she suffered a cardiac arrest. Here, we attempt to explain what a cardiac arrest is and how it is different from a heart attack. People often use these terms interchangeably but they are not synonyms. So, what exactly are they? What is a heart attack? A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart stops and causes a section of the heart muscle to begin to die. When blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the heart muscle, a heart attack occurs. What is a cardiac arrest? Whereas a cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating as a whole. There is a sudden stop in effective blood flow due to the failure of the heart to contract effectively. What are the symptoms of a heart attack? The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may later also be felt in the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in felt in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes. What are the symptoms of a cardiac arrest? Symptoms include loss of consciousness and abnormal or absent breathing. Some people may also have chest pain, shortness of breath, or nausea before there are changes in the breathing. Death usually occurs if not treated within minutes. Why does a heart attack occur? Most heart attacks occur due to coronary artery disease. High blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, lack of exercise, obesity, high blood cholesterol, poor diet, and excessive alcohol intake are some of the reasons why a heart attack occurs. Why does a cardiac arrest occur? Just like a heart attack, the most common cause of cardiac arrest is coronary artery disease. Apart from this, major blood loss, lack of oxygen, very low potassium, heart failure, and intense physical exercise are also known to cause a cardiac arrest. How to prevent a heart attack? Heart attacks can be prevented to a large extent by a number of lifestyle changes. One should increase the intake of wholegrain starch, reduce sugar intake and consume a good portion of fruits and vegetables, fish and of unsalted nuts, seeds or legumes. How to prevent a cardiac arrest? Cardiac arrest can be prevented by not smoking, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. Link between the two: Notably, a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are linked. A sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack, or during recovery. Heart attacks increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest. (With inputs from Wikipedia)