On numerous occasions, we have seen coverage in the media about someone dying of a suspected heart attack. This diagnosis isn’t entirely accurate because although heart attacks are life threatening they do not result in death. However, a heart attack can develop into a cardiac arrest that if untreated within a few minutes can result in imminent death.

When it’s a matter of life and death, it is important to understand the differences between these two conditions to ensure that the emergency service team get an accurate briefing before they arrive at the scene. Read on to increase your understanding of the important differences between a heart attack and cardiac arrest:

What to do when a heart attack happens

Heart attacks are a common yet serious medical emergency.

A heart attack is one of the most common medical emergencies occurring in the UK, and the British Heart Foundation estimates that 82,000 people in the UK suffer a heart attack every year.