Tag: heart attack
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Cardiorespiratory Arrest vs Cardiac Arrest: A Detailed Comparison
In emergency and paramedic service two conditions often encountered are cardiorespiratory arrest and cardiac arrest. While they may sound similar and are sometimes used interchangeably, they represent different clinical scenarios with specific implications for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. What is Cardiorespiratory Arrest? Cardiorespiratory arrest, also known as cardiopulmonary arrest, is a condition where both cardiac…
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Thrombus
A thrombus is a blood clot that forms within a blood vessel. It is also sometimes referred to as a “clot.” A thrombus can form in any part of the circulatory system, including the heart, veins, and arteries. Thrombi can form in response to injury, trauma or inflammation of the blood vessels. They can also…
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Cardiac Arrest vs Respiratory Arrest
Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating and blood is no longer pumped to the brain and other parts of the body. Respiratory arrest, on the other hand, is a situation where an individual stops breathing, which in turn, can lead to cardiac arrest as the body is deprived of…
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Ischemia, Infarction and Necrosis
Ischemia, a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the body’s tissues, is often a precursor to infarction, which is the death of tissue due to a lack of blood flow and oxygen. Prolonged ischemia can lead to cell death and the formation of a necrotic area, which is characterised by the death of cells…
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Myocardial Infarction
A myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a heart attack, is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, causing damage or death of heart muscle cells. The most common cause of a heart attack is a blockage in one of the coronary arteries, which…
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Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a type of cardiac arrhythmia in which the ventricles of the heart contract in a rapid and disorganised manner, resulting in an ineffective pumping of blood. VF is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. VF is often the result of an underlying heart condition, such as coronary artery…
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
A typical heart beat on an electrocardiogram (ECG) consists of several components, including the P wave, the QRS complex, and the T wave. The P wave represents the electrical activity of the atria, the upper chambers of the heart, as they contract and pump blood into the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart. The…