By Dr Rajeev Vashisth, Sr. Consultant – Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, HCG Hospital, Bhavnagar
GUJARAT, AHMEDABAD | 25th JULY 2025: The human heart, a muscular organ no bigger than a fist beats tirelessly from the moment we are born, fuelling every cell in the body with life-sustaining blood. It is, quite literally, our lifeline. But in today’s fast-paced world, this resilient organ is under constant strain.
Stress, unhealthy lifestyles, and silent medical conditions often take a toll, sometimes triggering serious emergencies like a heart attack or cardiac arrest.
While both conditions affect the heart, they are not the same. And recognising the difference especially during the golden hour, the first 60 minutes after symptoms begin can be the deciding factor between survival and irreversible damage.
Today, the world is witnessing an increasing number of such heart related emergencies, even among people in their 30s and 40s. So, lets understand how the heart works, causes of these events, and the action to be takenwhich can save lives.
Heart Attack
A heart attack, or medically known as myocardial infarction, occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become blocked, usually by a clot formed over a fatty plaque. Without oxygen-rich blood, that part of the heart muscle begins to die.
Common symptoms include:
- Chest pain, often spreading to the arm, shoulder, neck, or jaw
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Cold sweats
- Light-headedness or sudden fatigue
The symptoms may develop suddenly or gradually, but one thing is constant, the need for urgent medical care. The golden hour of first 60 minutes is a critical window during which timely intervention, such as medication or an emergency angioplasty, can restore blood flow, reduce damage to the heart, and improve survival.
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, is far more abrupt. It occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart to stop pumping blood effectively. This leads to an immediate loss of consciousness, pulse, and breathing. Without urgent CPR and defibrillation, death can occur within minutes.
Key Warning Signs
- Sudden collapse
- No breathing or pulse
- Loss of responsiveness
Unlike a heart attack, cardiac arrest offers no slow build-up. It demands instant action, calling emergency services, starting chest compressions, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available (CPR).
Diagnosis and Treatment
For a heart attack, doctors rely on ECGs, blood tests (to detect heart muscle enzymes), and imaging tests like angiography to locate and treat blockages. Immediate treatment may involve clot-busting drugs, angioplasty, or stent placement to restore blood flow.
For cardiac arrest, time is life. Diagnosis happens on the spot. If someone is unresponsive and not breathing, it is likely a cardiac arrest. If available, bystanders should start CPR immediately and use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Emergency teams will use advanced life support and medications and may perform procedures to stabilize the patient once they reach the hospital.
Why Are Younger People at Risk?
It is no longer uncommon to see heart-related emergencies in people in their 20s and 30s. The reasons are both medical and lifestyle-driven:
- High stress and burnout
- Lack of physical activity and poor sleep
- Diets high in salt, sugar, and trans fats
- Smoking, alcohol, and drug use
- Uncontrolled blood pressure or diabetes
- Family history of early heart disease
- Post-viral inflammation, including complications after COVID-19
Young people often skip routine health checks, assuming they are too young to be at risk. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms appear, the condition may already be severe.
Can Heart Attacks and Cardiac Arrests Be Prevented?
Yes! Heart attacks and cardiac arrests may not always be predictable, but they are often preventable.
Here is what helps:
- Eating a balanced, heart-friendly diet
- Exercising for at least 30 minutes most days of the week
- Getting regular sleep and managing stress
- Avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol
- Scheduling routine health check-ups
- Knowing your family history and tracking your numbers (BP, cholesterol, sugar)
We need to encourage everyone, even young adults to take their heart health seriously not out of fear, but as a preventive measure for a life worth protecting.
Whether it is tightness in the chest, an unusual heartbeat, or sudden fatigue, please do not ignore it. Many lives are saved annually because someone decided to get checked “just to be sure.”
You can significantly reduce your risk with the proper knowledge, timely care, and healthy lifestyle choices.
