What is the difference between a heart attack and a heart failure?
Many do not realize that a heart attack and heart failure are very different from each other, despite the fact that both actually are forms of heart disease. We spoke to cardiologists who list out basic differences between the two.
1 Difference in definition
"Heart attack, also, referred to as myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is blocked, starving it of oxygen and causing the muscle to die," says a professor of cardiology, Dr. Sundeep Mishra. Heart failure is debilitating and potentially a life-threatening condition where the heart fails to efficiently pump enough blood around the body, starving all the other organs of oxygen and other nutrients.
2 Difference in presentation
A heart attack is a sudden event which occurs when one of the heart's own blood vessels is blocked and needs emergency medical treatment. Heart failure is a chronic/progressive disease in which the heart muscle responsible for the pumping action weakens or stiffens over time.
3 Difference in causes
The most common cause of heart attack is the formation of blood clot/s that block the coronary arteries of the heart. Dr Mishra adds, "These arteries are responsible for supplying oxygen and blood to the heart and if they are blocked due to a blood clot or plaque (hard mass composed of cholesterol or other cells), the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen and dies."
There is no single cause for heart failure and multiple existing disease conditions can weaken the heart over time leading to heart failure. Not all heart failure cases are because of a prior heart attack and not all heart attacks lead to heart failure.
4 Difference in symptoms
Senior cardiologist Dr. Santosh Kumar Dora says that there are some symptoms that are common when it comes to heart attacks. These include a feeling of heavy pressure or squeezing of the chest area, pain in the chest, heaviness or tightness or a burning feeling.
The sign and symptoms of heart failure develops over a period of time. Some common symptoms are: congested lungs, water retention showing up as swollen ankles, legs or abdomen, unexplained weight gain, increased night time urination, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, reduced ability to exercise, excessive fatigue, coughing pink foamy mucus.
07.11.2017
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