The Difference Between Angina, Heart Attack, and Cardiac Arrest
Medical Writer: Vera Ubabuike, MBBS
Medical Reviewer: Nnenna Chiloli, MBBS, MPH
Highlights
- Angina is chest pain or discomfort lasting 5 to 15 minutes, which happens due to decreased blood and oxygen supply to the heart
- A heart attack is a heart condition in which a part of the heart is damaged due to the blockage of its blood and oxygen supply
- A cardiac arrest occurs when abnormal heart rhythms cause the heart to stop beating suddenly or to beat abnormally
- These heart conditions are usually a result of an underlying disease affecting the heart or other parts of the body
- Some risk factors of these heart conditions include family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, smoking, and lack of physical activity
- Many heart conditions are preventable and can be managed to avoid worsening
Introduction: Why Knowing the Difference Matters
Did you know that every year, about 18 million people globally die from diseases of the heart and blood vessels? More than three-quarters of these deaths are seen in low- and middle-income countries. In the US, about 800,000 people have a heart attack every year.
Many of these heart diseases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle habits. This means you can take steps to avoid many heart diseases and their complications by making some changes in your diet, activity, and habits.
Angina, heart attack, and cardiac arrest are common heart conditions. They may happen due to an underlying heart or blood vessel disease. They may also be due to other medical problems.
Have you ever wondered about the difference between angina and a heart attack? Have you asked how to differentiate a heart attack from a cardiac arrest? If you have, then this article is for you.
What Is Angina? — The Warning Sign
Angina is chest pain or discomfort that may occur when your heart cells are not getting enough oxygen [1]. This decreased oxygen supply may be caused by a partial blockage or narrowing of the blood vessels that supply your heart [2].
Angina is a symptom of heart disease and can be a result of different heart conditions. It is more common as people get older. The older you get, the more likely you are to have angina. The chest pain may move down your arms, up to your jaw, to the upper part of your abdomen, or to your back.
An episode of angina may last about 5 to 15 minutes and can be worsened by physical activity, stress, or anxiety. You may also have difficulty breathing, dizziness, sweating, or weakness [2].
Angina can be treated with different drugs that reduce the frequency of the episodes and may treat the underlying cause.
What Is a Heart Attack? — The Blockage
A heart attack is damage to part of your heart muscle caused by a blockage in the artery that supplies blood and oxygen to your heart cells. This leads to the death of affected heart cells [3]. When these cells die, your heart may be unable to pump blood as it should. This reduces the amount of blood that is pumped to the rest of your body. Therefore, a heart attack is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.
The main symptom seen in a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort, similar to what is experienced in angina. This can happen while you are resting or when you are engaged in activity. The pain is often widespread over the chest area, and may move to your left upper arm, neck, and jaw.
You may have some other symptoms, such as:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pressure
- Back pain
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Fainting
- Vomiting [4]
Unlike angina, where the chest pain is due to decreased blood supply for some minutes, a heart attack usually happens when blood and oxygen supply are greatly reduced or cut off completely. This leads to cell death that affects how the heart works.
What Is Cardiac Arrest? — When the Heart Stops
A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart’s electrical activity suddenly and unexpectedly stops. It is mostly due to an abnormal heart rhythm. This causes the heart to stop beating and pumping blood. The victim becomes unconscious and has abnormal breathing [5].
Many people who suffer a cardiac arrest have an underlying heart disease. However, you must know that some other conditions can also cause cardiac arrest.
They include:
- Drug overdose
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Severe emotional or physical stress
- Heavy alcohol use
- Lung diseases
If you have a cardiac arrest, you may or may not experience chest pain before the arrest. This will be followed by symptoms of a cardiac arrest, such as:
- Unresponsiveness
- Absent or abnormal breathing
- Lack of a pulse [5]
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that can lead to sudden death if not attended to immediately.
How Angina, Heart Attack, and Cardiac Arrest Differ
When to Seek Medical Help
All three conditions require medical help.
Angina
You should seek help as soon as you experience any new chest pain or discomfort, especially if it does not go away with rest or worsens with activity. Seeking medical help early ensures the cause of your chest pain is identified and properly treated.
Heart attack
You need to seek help immediately if you think you may be having a heart attack. Every minute that goes by leads to the death of more heart muscle cells. This is why the doctors say ‘time is muscle’.
Cardiac arrest
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. Due to the risk of sudden death, it is important to know what to do if you ever encounter a victim of a cardiac arrest.Here are 3 main steps that you can take:
- Check
Ensure the environment is safe, and then go ahead to check if the victim is conscious or not.
- Call
If the victim does not respond, you must call for help immediately before attempting to help the patient.
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
You should start chest compressions and rescue breaths. Starting chest compressions early increases the victim’s chances of survival [6].
Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease
Several factors may increase your chances of having heart disease. They include:
- Ageing
- Having a family member with heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High blood lipids
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking [7,8]
Keeping in mind these well-known risk factors, here are some ways that you can reduce your risk:
- Eat healthy meals consisting of fruits and vegetables
- Reduce your intake of salt
- Engage in regular exercise
- Avoid tobacco use
- Reduce alcohol use
- Get health checks regularly
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I differentiate between angina, a heart attack, and cardiac arrest?
Angina is chest pain or discomfort that comes and goes due to reduced blood flow to your heart. A heart attack happens when part of your heart is damaged due to the blockage of blood flow. In a cardiac arrest, your heart suddenly stops beating due to an abnormal heart rhythm.
How can I tell if I am having a heart attack?
You might be having a heart attack if you feel sudden, severe chest pain that moves to your left arm, shoulder, jaw, or neck. You may also have chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, or difficulty breathing.
What should I do if someone collapses suddenly?
You must ensure it is a safe environment, then check the victim. If the person does not respond, has no pulse, and is not breathing, you must call for help immediately and start CPR.
Am I at risk of these heart conditions?
You are more likely to have these heart conditions if you have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, a smoking habit, or high cholesterol.
When should I see my doctor for chest pain?
If you experience any new or severe chest pain, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible. The earlier the cause of the chest pain is found, the better.
Conclusion
Angina, Heart attack, and Cardiac arrest are heart conditions that may happen in people with an underlying medical problem. Your heart is a very important and sensitive organ. Chest pain might be its way of letting you know that there is a problem. You should pay attention to the signs it gives and seek professional help as soon as possible. Remember, time is muscle.
References
- Rinaldi R, Kunadian V, Crea F, Montone RA. Management of angina pectoris. Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2025 Aug 1;35(6):341–50. doi:10.1016/j.tcm.2025.03.001 Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1050173825000337?via%3Dihub#bib0001
- Kloner RA, Chaitman B. Angina and Its Management. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2017 May;22(3):199–209. doi:10.1177/1074248416679733. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1074248416679733?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
- Thygesen K, Alpert JS, Jaffe AS, Chaitman BR, Bax JJ, Morrow DA, et al. Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (2018). Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2018 Oct;72(18):2231–64. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.1038. Available from: https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.1038
- King-Shier K, Quan H, Kapral MK, Tsuyuki R, An L, Banerjee S, et al. Acute coronary syndromes presentations and care outcomes in white, South Asian and Chinese patients: a cohort study. BMJ Open. 2019 Mar 13;9(3):e022479. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022479 PubMed PMID: 30867199; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6429729. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6429729/
- Patel K, Hipskind JE. Cardiac Arrest. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 [cited 2026 Mar 18]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534866/
- European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2025 Collaborator Group, et al. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2025 Executive Summary. Resuscitation. 2025;215:110770. Available from: https://www.resuscitationjournal.com/article/S0300-9572(25)00282-5/fulltext
- Tfelt-Hansen J, Garcia R, Albert C, Merino J, Krahn A, Marijon E, et al. Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death: a review. Europace. 2023 Aug 25;25(8):euad203. doi:10.1093/europace/euad203 PubMed PMID: 37622576; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10450787. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10450787/
- Martin SS, Aday AW, Allen NB, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, et al. 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2025 Feb 25;151(8):e41–660. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001303 PubMed PMID: 39866113; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12256702 . Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12256702/
Disclaimer:
The information provided on this website is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Published March 26, 2026
