Wisconsin CNA State Exam Vocabulary Practice

What is another term for a heart attack?

1. Arrhythmia

2. Hypertension

3. Aneurysm

4. Cardiac arrest

The correct answer is: Cardiac arrest

A heart attack is medically known as an acute myocardial infarction, which occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is insufficient, resulting in damage to the heart muscle. Cardiac arrest refers to a sudden loss of heart function, which can occur as a result of a heart attack but is not synonymous with the two. While they are related, cardiac arrest is the immediate situation where the heart stops beating effectively or at all, potentially leading to death if not treated promptly. This highlight of the urgency and critical nature of a heart attack's progression into cardiac arrest underlines why this option is the most accurate in certain contexts. In contrast, arrhythmia refers to irregular heartbeats, hypertension signifies high blood pressure, and aneurysm involves the ballooning of a blood vessel due to weakness in the vessel wall. Each of these terms denotes different conditions or states affecting the cardiovascular system, and while they may relate to heart health, they do not directly describe a heart attack.