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View submission: ELI5:Why the heart doesn't get cramp ?
A cardiac arrest isn't a cramp. It occurs when there is a block of blood flow to a region of the heart that will result in spontaneous tissue death. The hearts' demand for energy is so great that if its supply is interrupted it just dies. Also a heart can't cramp in the way you expect. Cardiac muscle is different than skeletal muscle or smooth muscle.
Comment by destroyingtocreate at 27/02/2015 at 16:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Well, cardiac arrest is kind of a vague term.. But, I think if you get into some arrhythmias - specifically ventricular fibrillation - it kind of makes sense to think of it as the heart seizing or "quivering." (Or cramping if that helps OP understand I guess?) This rhythm is of course, dysfunctional, and requires defibrillation... Which if you think about the "shock" defibrillation delivers .. It's a little like the TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) therapy that some people use to relieve muscle aches/pains.. Or for neuromuscular pain.