Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. It works to pump blood all through your body. The functioning heart supplies all the organs and tissues in the body with vital oxygen. Heart disease stops your heart from working well. It can also lead to serious health effects.
Heart attack and heart failure are two major conditions that can impact the heart. Both these conditions can affect your health. If they are left untreated it can even get fatal. However, both these conditions are not the same thing. Several key differences distinguish a heart attack and a heart failure. We will break down all the differences between heart attacks and heart failure.
What Is A Heart Attack?
A heart attack occurs when adequate blood flow gets blocked from reaching the heart. The tissues in this area don’t get enough oxygen to survive. If a heart attack is not treated promptly, it results in damaging the heart tissue. A heart attack is called myocardial infarction in medical terms.
What Is Heart Failure?
Heart failure is when the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of the organs and tissues in the human body. There are different types of heart failure. Left-sided heart failure is most common among people and it affects the left side of the heart. This side pumps oxygen-rich blood and keeps the heart healthy.
Right-sided and biventricular heart failure impacts the side of your heart that gets the oxygen-poor blood inside the body. In case of right-side failure, the heart doesn’t pump blood to the lungs and it gets difficult for the lungs to receive oxygen. Congestive heart failure is a specific stage of heart failure. It happens when congestion or swelling is caused in various parts of the body.
Key Differences Between A Heart Attack And Heart Failure
Now that you know what a heart attack and heart failure are we will not step on to explain the differences between them. We will be focusing on the difference in the causes, symptoms, and potential treatment options for both conditions.
1.Causes Of Heart Attack And Heart Failure
A heart attack is caused due to the complete or partial blockage of the arteries. Heart failure is caused by conditions that can damage your heart or force it to work harder to pump blood.
Heart Attack Causes
Coronary artery disease is one of the most common causes of heart attacks. There is a substance called plaque that built up on the walls of the arteries. The plaque accumulates, and the coronary arteries end up becoming narrow. A plaque inside the coronary artery breaks and this causes the blood clot to form. This blood clot can stop the flow of blood from moving through the coronary arteries, which leads to a heart attack.
Heart Failure Causes
Different types of heart failure can occur due to different reasons. Systolic heart failure is caused by chronic conditions. This can cause the heart to become weak. Coronary artery disease can result in heart failure. If there is damage left from a previous heart attack, then this could lead to heart failure as well. Arrhythmias and other heart valve conditions could also result in heart failure.
Diastolic failure is caused by conditions that make your heart work harder to pump blood. The tissue of the heart stiffens and heart failure occurs. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, then it could often lead to heart failure. The sudden tightening of the coronary arteries can restrict blood flow and this can also result in heart failure.
2. Symptoms Of Heart Attack And Heart Failure
The symptoms of a heart attack and heart failure differ from each other. Let’s explore the symptoms of both conditions in more detail.
Heart Attack Symptoms
Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack. The pain can be mild to severe in intensity. The patient might also feel pressure or a sensation of fullness. Pain from a heart attack can also impact the arms, shoulders, back, neck, or jaw. The shortness of breath and cold sweats could be a sign of a heart attack. If you are feeling lightheaded or dizzy then it is best to consult a doctor.
Heart Failure Symptoms
Shortness of breath is a major symptom of heart failure. The heart doesn’t supply enough oxygen-rich blood to the body. This makes the lungs work harder to get more additional oxygen. Feeling weak and getting fatigued often could be a symptom of heart failure. Difficulty in breathing and trouble concentrating can be a sign of heart failure as well. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, unexplained weight gain, frequent urination, and more.
3. Treatment For Heart Attack And Heart Failure
Treatment for a heart attack focuses on restoring blood flow and preventing additional damage to the heart. Heart failure treatment aims to manage the conditions which contribute to heart failure.
Heart Attack Treatments
Heart attacks can be treated with Medications. There are a variety of medications that help to treat a heart attack. Clot-busting medications help to treat the dissolve blood clots. Nitroglycerin is an effective medicine that can help to open arteries. It also helps to improve blood flow. You can also use blood thinners and anticlotting medications, as this can prevent blood clots from forming. Some pain-relieving medications can also help to treat a heart attack.
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Heart Failure Treatments
Depending on the heart failure type the treatment can also vary. The treatment of heart failure can change depending on the type of heart failure you have. Some potential treatment options for heart failure include Medications. These medicines help to manage heart failure and remove extra fluid and sodium through frequent urination. These medications help to relax blood vessel walls. ACE inhibitors and ARBs are one of the most popular medicines for treating heart failure. A surgical procedure may be needed to treat the blocked arteries and improve the heart valve conditions. In some very severe cases, the patient might be recommended to get a heart transplant.
