Introduction
Heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke, you must have heard these three words at some point or the other. But do you know what is the difference between these three?
Even though all three are related to your heart, the reasons for their existence are different. They have different symptoms and they affect the body differently as well.
The right knowledge about these three and the understanding of what is the difference between them will help you fight these diseases in a better way. Along with this, you can also help your acquaintance properly at the time of any untoward incident.
Heart Attack
Heart attack is a circulation disorder. A heart attack
occurs when there is a blockage in the blood supply system to the heart. The flow of oxygen-rich blood to a part of
the heart muscle is sometimes blocked or slowed.
If blood flow does not improve quickly, the muscles begin to die due to lack of oxygen. This heart-muscle-death is known as a "heart attack" and medically referred to as myocardial infarction (MI) However, during a heart attack, the heart continues to beat.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
- Chest Pain
- Body Aches
- Shortness of Breath and Wheezing
- Cold Sweats
- Lightheadedness and Dizziness
- Increased Anxiety
- Nausea
- Coughing
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, occurs when the heart stops pumping blood. Cardiac arrest can cause you to have a heart attack, but fortunately, not very often. However, cardiac arrest can also be caused by other diseases.
Cardiac arrest can be caused by blood clots in the lungs and bleeding around the heart. Cardiac arrest is usually an "electrical" disorder and is the leading cause of death in adults.
When your heart experiences a disturbance in the electrical activity, the heart starts beating irregularly. And then suddenly stops pumping blood through the body. The patient may feel a palpitation or flutter in his chest before the heart stops beating completely. This is cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of a Cardiac Arrest
- Loss of Consciousness/Fainting
- Blackout
- Chest Pain or Pressure
- Shortness of Breath
- Extreme Palpitation or Fluttering Feeling in the Chest
- Generalized Weakness
Stroke
Stroke is also caused by an interruption in blood flow, but it affects the brain tissue rather than the heart muscle. This is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to your brain is interrupted.
Symptoms of a Stroke
- Sudden Mental Confusion
- Disrupted Speech
- Face, Arm or Leg Paralysis
- Inability to Walk
- Blurred Vision
- Headaches
- Nausea or Difficulty in Swallowing
- Transient Ischemic Attack
Types Of Stroke:
There are three main types of stroke:
1. Ischemic Stroke
When an artery carrying oxygen-rich blood to the brain experiences a blockage, it causes brain cells to die. This causes ischemic stroke. This type of blockage in the arteries of the brain can be caused by narrowing of the arteries, but it can also be caused by small blood clots.
2. Transient Ischemic Attack
A "mini-stroke" can happen when an artery that carries blood to the brain stops doing so for a short time. Stroke symptoms can be seen during this period of interruption of blood flow.
3. Hemorrhagic Stroke
When an artery inside the brain bursts, the interruption of blood flow to the ruptured artery damages brain cells and causes blood to circulate around the brain.
Atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, is the primary cause of heart attack and brain stroke, and one of the primary causes of cardiac arrest.
Understanding the Different and Sometimes Similar Symptoms
The general symptoms of heart attack and cardiac arrest may be similar in the beginning.
The symptoms of stroke are mostly neurological.
Final Words
Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of heart diseases. Along with quitting habits like smoking, it is important to stay physically active and maintain a healthy body weight.
Monitoring and controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels is also essential, which is probably the best way to prevent heart attack, cardiac arrest or stroke.
