Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Heart disease is the leading killer worldwide, and the number one cause of death in the United States.
These diseases claimed the lives of about 17.9 million people in 2019, which represents 32% of all deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
But not all heart diseases are the same, and they can affect the blood vessels going to the heart, or the brain, heart muscles, valves, and other areas of the body.
Cardiovascular diseases can require long-term treatment, and they can occur suddenly and fatally, as happened with Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, Thursday, at the age of 54, after she suffered a heart attack, and was subsequently transferred to the hospital.
The cause of her heart attack remains unclear.
What is a heart attack?
Cardiac arrest results from electrical disturbances that cause the heart to suddenly stop beating as it should.
In the case of cardiac arrest, death can occur quickly if the necessary emergency steps are not taken immediately.
The American Heart Association said: “The cardiac arrest can be reversed when performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillator shocks, which helps the heart to restore its rhythm beyond a few minutes.”
Sudden and unexpected cessation of heart function also leads to sudden loss of consciousness and breathing.
A cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, but almost any known heart condition, including a heart attack, can cause a heart attack.
What is a heart attack?
Unlike a heart attack, a heart attack is caused by a circulatory problem. It occurs when blood flow to the heart is severely reduced or blocked.
“People at high risk for heart attacks are those with a family history of heart attacks, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure,” Dr. Nica Goldberg, medical director of Atria New York and assistant professor of medicine at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, previously told CNN. diabetes, do not exercise, and smoke cigarettes.
According to the American Heart Association, another, less common cause of a heart attack is a spasm caused by tobacco or illegal drugs, such as cocaine, that disrupt the heart muscle.
Heart attacks can be fatal, but they do not automatically lead to death. Immediate emergency medical assistance often prevents serious outcomes.
What is heart failure?
It occurs when the heart cannot effectively pump blood through the arteries and circulatory system to other organs and tissues of the body.
Conditions that can lead to heart failure include high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease, when plaque builds up in the walls of arteries, causing them to narrow and making it more difficult for blood to pump.
It is reported that treatment of heart failure is necessary to prevent a life-threatening heart attack, but it is not as directly life-threatening as a heart attack or cardiac arrest.
