Stroke Vs Heart Attack: What Is The Difference And Which Is Deadlier?

Understand the key differences between a stroke and a heart attack, their symptoms, causes, and which condition can be more life-threatening.

Stroke Vs Heart Attack: What Is The Difference And Which Is Deadlier?

Stroke and heart attacks can be considered among the most frequent, when it comes to life-threatening health crises. They have various similar risk factors, but being equally hazardous, they differ in their influence on the body and their treatment must be so. Knowledge of such differences can save lives.

What is a Stroke?

Stroke is an interruption or a reduction in the blood flow to the brain. It may occur as a result of a blocked artery, the so-called ischemic stroke, or may occur as a result of a ruptured blood vessel, the so-called hemorrhagic stroke. In the cases of inadequate oxygen and nutrient supplied to the brain, the cell of the brain start dying in the matter of minutes. The symptoms can be sudden numbness or weakening, particularly on a single side, confusion, speech difficulties, vision difficulties, and headaches so severe that they give rise to confusion. Emergency treatment is essential to diminish the harm in the long run.

What is a Heart Attack?

Heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction occurs when blood supplying a section of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. Lack of blood also leads to death of heart muscle that may cause irreversible damage to the heart. The symptoms are mainly chest pains or blockages, pain in the limbs, neck, or jaw, dyspnea, sweating, nausea, and dizziness. These measures should be taken immediately to save blood circulation and avoid dangerous consequences or death.

Stroke vs Heart Attack: What is the Difference?

The first difference is in the affected organ. A stroke is an event that affects the brain, whereas a heart attack is an event that affects the heart. Overlapping of the symptoms of the two diseases may occur like being weak or being uncomfortable, but the strokes can manifest in the form of unexpected neurological effects such as slurred speech or vision problems whereas heart attacks can manifest as painful feelings and shortness of breath. The causes vary; strokes are caused by clogged or burst blood vessels in the brain whereas heart attacks are caused by clogging of coronary blood vessels.

Stroke vs Heart Attack: Which is More Deadly?

The two conditions are also fatal in case of early inaction. Heart attacks normally result in sudden death in case the blockage is severe whereas strokes may result in death or long-term disability depending on the region or part of the brain that has been affected. The fatality rate of strokes is statistically a bit higher in certain groups, as it may cause irreversible brain damage to a person even in case he/she survive the first episode. Nevertheless, they both need urgent treatment to stand the highest possibility of surviving.

Prevention and Awareness

Lifestyle is also important in the prevention of stroke as well as heart attack. Eating well, physical activities, shunning of smoking, and maintenance of blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes are some of the elements that can greatly reduce the risk. It is also important to notice signs of trouble and get essential medical assistance. And time lost is brain lost, or heart lost.