India, Nov. 8 -- Heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest may appear to be the same, sometimes even used interchangeably, but not knowing the difference can be life-threatening. A study published in 2024 revealed that sudden cardiac death causes over 10% of deaths, with nearly half of the victims under 60. This makes it a vital issue, requiring awareness which focuses on distinguishing these two fatal conditions. Recognising the differences between a heart attack and cardiac arrest can help to increase survival chances.

To understand the key differences, HT Lifestyle reached out to Dr VS Prakash, Director at Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital in Bengaluru.

"In reality, they're different emergencies, and this ...