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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> In July 2023, rising US basketball star Bronny James collapsed on the court during practice and was sent to hospital. The 18-year-old athlete, son of famous LA Lakers’ veteran LeBron James, had experienced a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-3953eee8789e83f3cccfb6dd798bc54e">cardiac arrest</a>. Many media outlets incorrectly referred to the event as a “<a href="https://en.as.com/nba/lebron-james-son-bronny-plays-for-the-usc-trojans-for-the-first-time-since-suffering-a-heart-attack-n/">heart attack</a>” or used the terms interchangeably. A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are distinct yet overlapping concepts associated with the heart. With some background in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrgEv7-rVM&t=16s">how the heart works</a>, we can see how they differ and how they’re related. <h2>Understanding the heart</h2> The heart is a muscle that contracts to work as a pump. When it contracts it pushes blood – containing oxygen and nutrients – to all the tissues of our body. For the heart muscle to work effectively as a pump, it needs to be fed its own blood supply, delivered by the coronary arteries. If these arteries are blocked, the heart muscle doesn’t get the blood it needs. This can cause the heart muscle to become injured or die, and results in the heart not pumping properly. <h2>Heart attack or cardiac arrest?</h2> Simply put, a heart attack, technically known as a myocardial infarction, describes injury to, or death of, the heart muscle. A cardiac arrest, sometimes called a sudden cardiac arrest, is when the heart stops beating, or put another way, stops working as an effective pump. In other words, both relate to the heart not working as it should, but for different reasons. As we’ll see later, one can lead to the other. <h2>Why do they happen? Who’s at risk?</h2> Heart attacks typically result from blockages in the coronary arteries. Sometimes this is called coronary artery disease, but in Australia, we tend to refer to it as ischaemic heart disease. The underlying cause in about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507799/#:%7E:text=It%20has%20been%20reported%20that,increases%20beyond%20age%2050%20years.">75% of people</a> is a process called <a href="https://youtu.be/jwL4lkSlvSA?si=H2as7dQkhbIqWWkU">atherosclerosis</a>. This is where fatty and fibrous tissue build up in the walls of the coronary arteries, forming a plaque. The plaque can block the blood vessel or, in some instances, lead to the formation of a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is a long-term, stealthy process, with a number of risk factors that can sneak up on anyone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diet, diabetes, stress, and your genes have all been implicated in this plaque-building process. Other causes of heart attacks include spasms of the coronary arteries (causing them to constrict), chest trauma, or anything else that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. Regardless of the cause, blocking or reducing the flow of blood through these pipes can result in the heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. So cells in the heart muscle can be injured or die. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Heart attack vs cardiac arrest" /></a><figcaption>Here’s a simple way to remember the difference. Author provided</figcaption></figure> But a cardiac arrest is the result of heartbeat irregularities, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively around the body. These heartbeat irregularities are generally due to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_soKG-Tzh0&t=903s">electrical malfunctions</a> in the heart. There are four distinct types: <ul> <li> ventricular tachycardia: a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm in which the heartbeat is more than <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541285/">100 beats per minute</a> (normal adult, resting heart rate is generally 60-90 beats per minute). This fast heart rate prevents the heart from filling with blood and thus pumping adequately </li> <li> ventricular fibrillation: instead of regular beats, the heart quivers or “fibrillates”, resembling a bag of worms, resulting in an irregular heartbeat greater than 300 beats per minute </li> <li> pulseless electrical activity: arises when the heart muscle fails to generate sufficient pumping force after electrical stimulation, resulting in no pulse </li> <li> asystole: the classic flat-line heart rhythm you see in movies, indicating no electrical activity in the heart. </li> </ul> Cardiac arrest can arise from numerous underlying conditions, both heart-related and not, such as drowning, trauma, asphyxia, electrical shock and drug overdose. James’ cardiac arrest was attributed to a <a href="https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38260006/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-caused-congenital-heart-defect">congenital heart defect</a>, a heart condition he was born with. But among the many causes of a cardiac arrest, ischaemic heart disease, such as a heart attack, stands out as the most common cause, accounting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11898927/">for 70%</a> of all cases. So how can a heart attack cause a cardiac arrest? You’ll remember that during a heart attack, heart muscle can be damaged or parts of it may die. This damaged or dead tissue can disrupt the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, increasing the risk of developing arrhythmias, possibly causing a cardiac arrest. So while a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, a cardiac arrest generally does not cause a heart attack. <h2>What do they look like?</h2> Because a cardiac arrest results in the sudden loss of effective heart pumping, the most common signs and symptoms are a sudden loss of consciousness, absence of pulse or heartbeat, stopping of breathing, and pale or blue-tinged skin. But the common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort, which can show up in other regions of the body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Also frequent are shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, looking pale, and sweating. <h2>What’s the take-home message?</h2> While both heart attack and cardiac arrest are disorders related to the heart, they differ in their mechanisms and outcomes. A heart attack is like a blockage in the plumbing supplying water to a house. But a cardiac arrest is like an electrical malfunction in the house’s wiring. Despite their different nature both conditions can have severe consequences and require immediate medical attention.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229633/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, Associate Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest-ones-about-plumbing-the-other-wiring-229633">original article</a>. </div>

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6 things plumbers never do in their own homes

Plumbing is something we often take for granted, but without it we wouldn’t have warm showers, toilets that flush or the means to pressure wash the driveway. Not only that, a working plumbing system is key to sanitation – in your home and your community. “It is a known motto in the plumbing community that the plumber protects the health of the nation,” says licensed plumber Aaron Mulder. “As soon as you don’t have working plumbing systems in a country, things start to deteriorate.” That’s why, Mulder says, homeowners need to pay attention to the plumbing in their homes. This involves things like fixing leaks in a timely manner, replacing broken parts before they completely fail and regularly checking water pressure. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s avoiding common behaviours that wreak havoc on a home’s plumbing system. What are those behaviours? We went straight to the plumbers themselves to find out. Here are six things professional plumbers would never do in their own homes. Plumbers don’t flush baby wipes down the toilet The box may say the wipes are flushable, but the truth is there are only two things that should be ever be flushed – toilet paper and human waste, says Mulder. Everything else, from feminine hygiene products to paper towels and beyond, will undoubtedly clog your pipes – if not right away, eventually. These items can also clog up the entire sewer system. Over time, this can create a big expensive mess at your city’s sewage treatment plant, not to mention a threat to public health. Instead, do what plumbers do and toss disposable baby wipes in the garbage bin. Plumbers don’t use harsh chemicals in drains If you routinely pour a store-bought drain cleaner down the sink to do away with clogs, stop immediately. These cleaners are not just ineffective, they are caustic, says plumber Terry O’Shea, who warns chemical drain cleaners can burn your pipes and your skin, if you touch them. And the claims that these cleaners dissolve hair? Nope. “It (might) burn away some of the hair and gunk … but at the end of the day it is not going to stop that buildup from reoccurring,” Mulder says. “It is just (pushing) down to where the chemical didn’t reach.” What should you do about clogs? Plumber-recommended enzymatic drain cleaners are usually safe, or you can try a drain auger (sometimes called a plumbing snake), O’Shea says. Don’t give in to the temptation to use a hanger for the job though, says Mulder. Anything rigid can damage the pipe and cause a whole slew of issues, like leaks, broken seals, bad smells and bug infestations (yuck!). Plumbers don’t pour grease down the drain You just cooked some bacon and need to get rid of the grease. You have a few options, but pouring it down the kitchen sink is not one of them, says Mulder. Initially, the grease will stick to the walls of your pipes and start clogging your drain. Eventually, some of that grease will make it to the sewer, where it mixes with all the other raw sewage (along with those baby wipes that shouldn’t be there). The result? A disgusting sewer-damaging blob called a fatberg. Last year, waste treatment officials in England discovered a fatberg that was more than 60 metres long. We know you don’t want to contribute to such a monstrosity. Instead, Mulder advises scraping congealed grease into the garbage bin, or pouring warm grease into a can or jar to throw away later. Some people even save grease for further use in the kitchen. Plumbers don’t take the term “garbage disposal” literally Despite the name, your sink’s garbage disposal is not meant to dispose of garbage, says Mulder. Small scraps of certain types of food (and the milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl) are OK. But eggshells, hunks of meat, and coffee grounds, among other things, should not go down your garbage disposal. “(These items) are overworking the unit, or overheating it,” Mulder says. If you do this continually, Mulder says, it will damage and ultimately ruin the garbage disposal. And that’s not the only thing. Since the disposal isn’t designed to break down the food, that leftover chicken will rot in your pipes. Before long, you’ll have an unpleasant odour and a dirty job to deal with. Save yourself the trouble and expense by composting or throwing away food scraps. Plumbers don’t put off preventive maintenance Like cars, plumbing systems need regular maintenance even when nothing is amiss. Plumbers know the importance of keeping up on said maintenance in their homes, so they can minimise the possibility of something major going wrong, like a leak, corrosion or a septic tank issue. Mulder says it is particularly important to do an annual pressure check to make sure your water pressure is in a safe range. To meet Australian Standards, the standard maximum is 45-55 PSI (pounds per square inch). The PSI requirements differ from country to country. You can buy a water pressure gauge at your local hardware store. Other preventive maintenance activities include checking for leaks and clogs, and making sure you don’t have any broken internal parts in your toilets, sinks or tubs/showers. He also recommends checking your supply lines – a.k.a. the hoses that allow water to travel from the main water line to individual fixtures – to make sure they are still in good shape. Many homeowners, he says, are surprised to find out supply lines are typically only rated for three to five years of use. Plumbers don’t prolong the investigation of the problem Nobody ever wants to scrap their weekend plans at the last minute to deal with a plumbing problem. But if you wake up one morning and find a pool of water under your washing machine, it’s wise to deal with it right away, says Mulder. “If you think you have a water leak … you definitely want to get it looked at before it becomes a bigger issue,” he says, adding that plumbing problems are not the type that correct themselves over time. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/6-things-plumbers-never-do-in-their-own-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>.

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5 things plumbers never do in their own homes

Plumbing is something we often take for granted, but without it we wouldn’t have warm showers, toilets that flush or the means to pressure wash the driveway. Not only that, a working plumbing system is key to sanitation – in your home and your community. “It is a known motto in the plumbing community that the plumber protects the health of the nation,” says licensed plumber Aaron Mulder. “As soon as you don’t have working plumbing systems in a country, things start to deteriorate.” That’s why, Mulder says, homeowners need to pay attention to the plumbing in their homes. This involves things like fixing leaks in a timely manner, replacing broken parts before they completely fail and regularly checking water pressure. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s avoiding common behaviours that wreak havoc on a home’s plumbing system. What are those behaviours? We went straight to the plumbers themselves to find out. Here are five things professional plumbers would never do in their own homes. Plumbers don't flush baby wipes down the toilet The box may say the wipes are flushable, but the truth is there are only two things that should be ever be flushed – toilet paper and human waste, says Mulder. Everything else, from feminine hygiene products to paper towels and beyond, will undoubtedly clog your pipes – if not right away, eventually. These items can also clog up the entire sewer system. Over time, this can create a big expensive mess at your city’s sewage treatment plant, not to mention a threat to public health. Instead, do what plumbers do and toss disposable baby wipes in the garbage bin. Plumbers don't use harsh chemicals in drains If you routinely pour a store-bought drain cleaner down the sink to do away with clogs, stop immediately. These cleaners are not just ineffective, they are caustic, says plumber Terry O’Shea, who warns chemical drain cleaners can burn your pipes and your skin, if you touch them. And the claims that these cleaners dissolve hair? Nope. “It (might) burn away some of the hair and gunk … but at the end of the day it is not going to stop that buildup from reoccurring,” Mulder says. “It is just (pushing) down to where the chemical didn’t reach.” What should you do about clogs? Plumber-recommended enzymatic drain cleaners are usually safe, or you can try a drain auger (sometimes called a plumbing snake), O’Shea says. Don’t give in to the temptation to use a hanger for the job though, says Mulder. Anything rigid can damage the pipe and cause a whole slew of issues, like leaks, broken seals, bad smells and bug infestations (yuck!). Plumbers don't pour grease down the drain You just cooked some bacon and need to get rid of the grease. You have a few options, but pouring it down the kitchen sink is not one of them, says Mulder. Initially, the grease will stick to the walls of your pipes and start clogging your drain. Eventually, some of that grease will make it to the sewer, where it mixes with all the other raw sewage (along with those baby wipes that shouldn’t be there). The result? A disgusting sewer-damaging blob called a fatberg. Last year, waste treatment officials in England discovered a fatberg that was more than 60 metres long. We know you don’t want to contribute to such a monstrosity. Instead, Mulder advises scraping congealed grease into the garbage bin, or pouring warm grease into a can or jar to throw away later. Some people even save grease for further use in the kitchen. Plumbers don't put off preventative maintenance Like cars, plumbing systems need regular maintenance even when nothing is amiss. Plumbers know the importance of keeping up on said maintenance in their homes, so they can minimise the possibility of something major going wrong, like a leak, corrosion or a septic tank issue. Mulder says it is particularly important to do an annual pressure check to make sure your water pressure is in a safe range. To meet Australian Standards, the standard maximum is 45-55 PSI (pounds per square inch). The PSI requirements differ from country to country. You can buy a water pressure gauge at your local hardware store. Other preventive maintenance activities include checking for leaks and clogs, and making sure you don’t have any broken internal parts in your toilets, sinks or tubs/showers. He also recommends checking your supply lines – a.k.a. the hoses that allow water to travel from the main water line to individual fixtures – to make sure they are still in good shape. Many homeowners, he says, are surprised to find out supply lines are typically only rated for three to five years of use. Plumbers don't prolong the investigation of the problem Nobody ever wants to scrap their weekend plans at the last minute to deal with a plumbing problem. But if you wake up one morning and find a pool of water under your washing machine, it’s wise to deal with it right away, says Mulder. “If you think you have a water leak … you definitely want to get it looked at before it becomes a bigger issue,” he says, adding that plumbing problems are not the type that correct themselves over time. Written by Dawn Weinberger. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/diy-tips/6-things-plumbers-never-do-in-their-own-homes" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

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What Brady Bunch star Eve Plumb look like now

Most famous for her role in the iconic 1970s sitcom, The Brady Bunch, Eve Plumb played “middle” child, Jan Brady, in the hit series. Here we have a new photo of the actress taken in March this year compared with one of her as Jan Brady taken back in 1971. <img width="500" height="323" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39341/eve-plumb-in-text_500x323.jpg" alt="Eve Plumb In -text"/> Running from 1969 until 1974, Eve Plumb recently revealed that she hopes that her role on the TV show isn't the only one she’s remembered for. “I’ll always be Jan Brady to so many people,” the now 59-year-old actress told Closer Weekly. “I can’t escape it, but I can do other things,” she added. Having recently starred as Mrs. Murdock in Grease Live! opposite Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens, Plumb admits that while she found success as a child star, adulthood proved difficult for the entertainer. “I had so much success as a child,” she explains. “But once you age out of being the cute kid, then what? If you’re not ready for it, it can be very difficult.” Over the years since The Brady Brunch stopped filming, Eve admits that she still gets recognised as Jan Brady at auditions. “If it gets me in the door [for jobs], then fine!” she said. “If you’re surprised to learn I can do other things, then great! I will audition for anything! Whatever comes my way!”.

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What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

6 things plumbers never do in their own homes

5 things plumbers never do in their own homes

What Brady Bunch star Eve Plumb look like now