How Sudden Cardiac Arrest Differs from a Heart Attack

A recent study suggests warning signs may indicate an underlying heart condition well before this life-threatening event occurs.

Published: April 23, 2014

When someone has suffered a cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death, most people assume the person had a heart attack. But sudden cardiac arrest is a very different event. Cardiologists explain that its caused by a malfunction of the hearts electrical system, while a heart attack is caused by a plumbing problem, or more specifically, blockage in a coronary artery.