Cardiac Arrest, Heart Failure Or Heart Attack: What Made Damar Hamlin Collapse?

Cardiac arrest, heart attack and heart failure — people often confuse these terms. But what do they really mean and which of them led to the collapse of Bills player Damar Hamlin on the field?

Hamlin, 24, lost consciousness on the field during Monday night's game between Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He suffered a cardiac arrest, but what exactly caused it is still unknown, according to ABC7.

Hamlin remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, based on an update provided by the Buffalo Bills at 1:23 p.m. ET Tuesday.

The incident has so far sparked a conversation about cardiac arrest. Meanwhile, some are simply left confused, not knowing what makes it different from heart attack and heart failure.

These terms are all related to heart disease, which is the top cause of death not only in the United States but also in the whole world. A silent killer, heart disease took an estimated 17.9 million lives in 2019, accounting for 32% of all deaths across the globe that year, as per the World Health Organization.

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is caused by improper electrical rhythms that affect the correct beating of the heart. Effectively, the heart stops beating. Death can result quickly if the right first aid is not provided.

"Cardiac arrest may be reversed if CPR is performed and a defibrillator shocks the heart and restores a normal heart rhythm within a few minutes," ABC7 quoted the American Heart Association as saying.

It is different from a heart attack. However, it is worth noting that any heart condition, including a heart attack, can lead to cardiac arrest.

Since the heart stops beating, organs such as the brain and the lungs do not get the blood and oxygen they require. Within seconds of the onset of cardiac arrest, a person will become unconscious and experience trouble breathing, according to Cedars-Sinai.

Heart Attack

A heart attack is a circulation problem. Also known as "myocardial infarction," a heart attack occurs when the blood circulation is obstructed in some way and the blood can no longer reach the heart muscle, causing the muscle to become damaged.

Accumulation of plaque in the arteries is the most common cause of blockage that leads to a heart attack. When cholesterol combines with fat, calcium and other substances in the blood, the amalgam hardens into a plaque. Large blood clots can also block the flow of blood through an artery.

"People who are at risk for heart attacks are people who have a family history of heart attack, having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of exercise, cigarette smoking — the major risk factors we always discuss," Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director of Atria New York City and clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said, as per CNN.

Not everyone experiencing a heart attack will have the same symptoms. Some may feel pain in the middle of the chest that can spread to the back, jaw or arms. Other symptoms include sudden sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, heavy pounding of the heart, loss of consciousness, restlessness, anxiety and bluish lips, hands or feet.

Heart Failure

The heart is essentially a pump. When the heart cannot effectively pump blood, the condition is known as heart failure. Health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and coronary artery disease can lead to heart failure.

To compensate for the lack of blood, the body may raise blood pressure, causing the heart to beat faster and retain more salt and water. The fluid buildup or edema is a symptom of a condition called congestive heart failure.

Heart failure, if left untreated, can lead to a life-threatening heart attack. However, it is not immediately as fatal as a heart attack or cardiac arrest.