The Difference Between a Heart Attack and a Stroke

Heart attacks and strokes are medical emergencies that occur when blood flow to an essential organ has been cut off. While they can look similar in patients, they have different treatments that require timely medical intervention — a primary reason to understand how to identify the difference correctly.

What Is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is cut off. The cause can vary, but heart attacks are primarily due to blood clots blocking coronary arteries — a characteristic of coronary artery disease. As a result, the heart can fail from the lack of oxygen. Common heart attack symptoms include chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, pain in the left shoulder or arm, and lightheadedness.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is restricted. Like with a heart attack, a blood clot can block circulation to cause a stroke — this is known as an ischemic stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes happen as a result of bursting blood vessels in the brain, causing cells to die. Five common symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, confusion, vision problems and a lack of balance.

Heart Attack vs. Stroke

A heart attack affects the heart, while a stroke affects the brain. Each condition manifests in different areas of the body, targeting the coronary artery for a heart attack and the cerebellar artery for a stroke. In the end, both are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.

Which Is Worse, a Heart Attack or a Stroke?

Both heart attacks and strokes are severe medical emergencies that require prompt attention. In other words, it's difficult to say which is worse. Individuals showing any signs or symptoms of each condition should seek medical attention immediately.

Risk Factors for a Heart Attack and a Stroke

As with many other conditions, both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors can influence a heart attack and stroke. Some of the most common risk factors both conditions share include:

• High blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage blood cells and increase the risk of clotting. Eating an unhealthy diet or experiencing large amounts of stress can raise blood pressure and cause a heart attack or stroke.
• High cholesterol: High cholesterol in your blood can develop fatty deposits in your arteries, causing them to narrow and stiffen. A lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating can lead to high cholesterol.
• Smoking: Smoking causes a variety of health concerns, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood vessel damage. It can also reduce oxygen in the blood, developing blood clots.
• Genetics: While genetics are out of your control, having a history of heart attacks or strokes in your family can increase your risk.
• Diabetes: High blood sugar levels from diabetes can damage blood cells and vessels, causing clots in the arteries and leading to bursts in the brain.
• Age: In both cases, older adults are at higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

Immediate and Long-Term Treatments

If you suspect you or someone you know is having a heart attack or stroke, call 911 immediately if you are able. Because each condition deals with vital organs failing, every second counts.

Heart Attack Treatment

Treatment for a heart attack will vary depending on what caused the event. Once arriving in the emergency room, the patient will have a diagnostic angiogram to view the heart's current state — specifically determining blood flow and how well the heart is pumping.

From the type of heart attack, doctors can best decide treatment options from the following:

• Thrombosis medications to dissolve the blood clot
• Balloon angioplasty to push and hold plaque against the artery wall
• Stent procedure to insert a wire mesh that holds the deflated artery open
• Bypass surgery to close off the affected blood vessel and redirect blood flow

Stroke Treatment

Patients will receive a computerized tomography (CT) scan upon arriving at the hospital to determine the cause of the stroke. From there, doctors will understand the best course of action for treatment. Some of the primary treatment options include:

• Surgical clipping to remove a brain aneurism that caused a hemorrhagic stroke
• Endovascular coiling to close off the affected artery that caused an ischemic stroke

General Prevention Tips

While some risk factors are out of our control, heart attacks and strokes can be prevented with the following tips:

• Lifestyle changes: Exercise and a nutritious diet can fuel our bodies to function and promote circulation.
• Regular check-ups: Annual health screenings are important to ensure the health of your heart and circulatory system. 
• Medication: If you have heart disease, continue taking your medication as instructed by your doctor.

Learn to Identify the Difference With Lifework Education

Recognizing the difference between a heart attack and a stroke can help increase someone's chance of survival. Lifework Education offers CPR and first aid certification courses to teach you how to test for a heart attack or stroke and adequately aid until emergency services arrive. Sign up for a course with us today to get started.