Seizures and heart attacks are life-threatening situations. People experiencing the conditions must be provided with immediate help. Both conditions require different emergency assistance. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is provided to heart attack victims, but not to seizure victims.

When every second counts, you should know exactly what to do. A lot of people who are learning about CPR for the first time can’t tell the difference between seizures and heart attacks. If you are also confused about the two medical conditions, you will understand the difference after reading this article.

Understanding Seizures and its Symptoms

A seizure refers to a sudden attack of an epileptic fit. The condition is caused by abnormal electrical activities in the brain. A person can experience seizures due to many reasons. Common reasons for seizures include the following:

  • Brain injury
  • High fever
  • Brain infection
  • Tumor growth
  • Abnormal brain structure

A seizure can be triggered by many reasons. Common triggers of seizures include stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, and alcohol.

So, how can you know that a person is suffering from a seizure?

A person who experiences seizures generally shows one or all of the following symptoms:

  • Drooling
  • Excessive blinking
  • Losing muscle control
  • Twitching of the muscles
  • Muscle freezing
  • Excessive sweating
  • Biting the tongue
  • Lacking temporary  of control of urination

You can determine whether a person is experiencing a seizure by considering the above symptoms. The most important thing you can do to help a person who suffers from a seizure is to remain calm. Most seizures end in about three minutes. You should not attempt to perform CPR or put anything inside the mouth of the victim. In case the condition of the person does not stabilize after five minutes, you should call emergency personnel.

About Heart Attacks

Heart attacks are different from seizures. A person experiences a heart attack due to a blocked artery. The condition can also sometimes be caused due to abnormalities in the electrical activity of the heart.

You can tell whether a person has suffered from a heart attack by looking at the symptoms. These include:

  • Facial drooping
  • Pain or numbness in some parts of the body
  • Incoherent speech
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cold sweat
  • Dizziness

Unlike a person suffering from a seizure, a heart attack victim doesn’t generally experience muscle freezing or twitching. CPR should be performed if a person who suffers from a heart attack is not breathing.

Make sure that you know how to properly perform CPR and first aid. By taking a CPR first aid class, you will know the proper procedure to help heart attack and seizure victims. Learning the skills is vital as you will be able to save lives of individuals. The best way to take CPR classes is by enrolling in an online class. This is the most convenient and cost-effective way to learn about the life-saving skill.