What Separates a Heart Attack from a Heart Failure?

 

The muscular organ in your heart pumps blood throughout your body. This process provides your tissues and organs with the essential nutrients and oxygen.

Heart illness can have major negative impacts on your health and impair the proper function of your heart. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease accounts for one in four fatalities in the US each year.

If left untreated, heart attacks and heart failure are two disorders that damage the heart and can have a major negative influence on your health. But the two conditions are not the same, and they differ significantly in a number of important ways.

We'll explain the distinctions between heart attacks and heart failure below; along with actions you can take to safeguard your heart.

A Heart Attack: what is it?

When sufficient blood flow is prevented from reaching a certain region of the heart, a heart attack results. This indicates that the tissues in this region aren't receiving enough oxygen to sustain life. The cardiac tissue may sustain damage or possibly start to die if a heart attack is not treated right away.

Myocardial infarction is the medical term used to describe a heart attack. According to statistics from the American Heart Association, a heart attack occurs in the US every 40 seconds.

Heart Failure: what is it?

When your heart is unable to adequately pump blood to your body's tissues and organs, it is said to have heart failure. According to CDC estimates, heart failure affects 6.2 million adults in the US.

We'll go over the many kinds of heart failure in our next section.

 

Heart Failure on the Left Side

Left-sided heart failure is the most prevalent type of heart failure among the several varieties.
The side of the heart that pumps blood enriched with oxygen from the heart to the body's tissues is affected when left-sided heart failure occurs. Heart failure on the left side can be of two types:

 

Systolic: Heart failure with a lower ejection fraction is another name for systolic failure. It takes place when the left ventricle is unable to pump blood effectively from the heart and into the bloodstream.

Diastolic: Heart failure with maintained ejection fraction is another term for diastolic failure. It occurs when the left ventricle becomes stiff and is unable to relax in between heartbeats, which prevents it from adequately filling with blood.

Biventricular and Right-Sided Heart Failure

The side of your heart that receives blood from your body that is low in oxygen is affected by right-sided heart failure. The heart's ability to efficiently pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation is compromised in right-sided heart failure.

 
When heart failure affects both sides of the heart, it is known as biventricular heart failure.

Heart Failure with Congestion

A particular stage of heart failure is known as congestive heart failure. It occurs when blood that is returning to the heart backs up, resulting in edema or congestion in different body areas.

Your heart may fail on its left, right, or both sides, leading to congestive heart failure. Because of the condition's progressive nature, symptoms frequently get worse with time.

 

What distinguishes a heart attack from heart failure, in your opinion?

After providing definitions for heart attack and heart failure, let's examine their main distinctions. We'll concentrate on the causes, signs, and possible remedies.

Reasons

A whole or partial blockage of the coronary arteries results in a heart attack. The most common causes of heart failure are illnesses that harm the heart or make it work harder to pump blood.

Causes of Heart Attacks

Heart attacks are usually caused by coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis, the process that causes the plaque to accumulate on the artery walls, is the cause of this ailment.

Narrowing of the coronary arteries occurs due to plaque accumulation. A coronary artery plaque rupture can result in the formation of a blood clot. A heart attack may result from this blood clot obstructing the blood flow through the coronary arteries.

An abrupt constriction (spasm) of the coronary arteries, which can potentially impede blood flow, is an uncommon cause of myocardial infarction. Severe physical or mental stress, prolonged cold exposure, or cocaine use can all cause this.

Causes of Heart Failure

Different factors may contribute to different forms of heart failure:

Failure at the systolic level: Chronic diseases that can weaken or damage the heart are a common cause of systolic failure. Few Examples are:

 

Coronary artery disease

Damage from an earlier heart attack

Arrhythmias

Heart valve disorders

Dystolic collapse: Conditions that make your heart work harder to pump blood might lead to diastolic failure. The heart's tissue may become rigid as a result. Diastolic failure can be caused by:

 

Elevated blood pressure

Diabetes

Obesity

Heart failure on the right side: Left-sided heart failure is frequently the precursor to right-sided heart failure. The right side of your heart has to work harder as a result of blood clotting in the left side of the heart weakening. Additional reasons consist of:

 
Congenital cardiac defects

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD

A lung embolism

Signs and Symptoms

There can be differences between the most typical symptoms of heart failure and heart attack. Below, let's examine this in more detail.

Signs of a Heart Attack

Chest pain is one of the primary signs of a heart attack. The level of the discomfort might vary from moderate to severe. It could have a squeezing, fullness, or pressure-like feeling.
A heart attack's pain can also affect other regions, such as the:

Shoulders

Back

Arms

Neck or jaw

The following are other signs of a heart attack:

 

Shortness of breath

Chilly sweats

Experiencing unusually high levels of exhaustion

Feeling faint or lightheaded

Nausea or vomiting

Signs of Heart Failure

Breathlessness is among the primary signs and symptoms of heart failure. Your body has to work harder for the lungs to take in more oxygen when the heart isn't pumping enough blood that is rich in oxygen.

The symptoms of the various forms of heart failure might also vary. Here are a few others signs of left-sided heart failure:

Blue lips or fingernails

Feeling weak or exhausted

Cough

Difficulty focusing

Unable to fall asleep while flat

Enlargement of the legs and feet

Right-sided heart failure can also cause the following symptoms in addition to shortness of breath:

 

Loss of appetite

Nausea

Abdominal pain

Swelling in the lower limbs or belly

Inexplicable weight gain

Frequent urination

Both left- and right-sided heart failure symptoms can occur in people with biventricular heart failure.

Handling or Treatment

Restoring blood supply to the damaged portion of the heart and averting further damage are the main goals of treatment for a heart attack.

 
The goals of heart failure treatment are to control the factors that lead to heart failure, lessen the burden on the heart, and stop heart failure from getting worse.

Therapies for Heart Attacks

One way to treat heart attacks is with:

Prescription Drugs: A heart attack can be treated with a range of drugs. These may consist of:

Drugs known as "clot-busting agents," which break up blood clots

Nitroglycerin, which has the ability to dilate blood vessels and enhance blood flow

Anticlotting or blood thinners, which work to stop blood clots from forming

Medication for pain relief

ACE inhibitors or beta blockers, which reduce blood pressure

Statins, which aid in reducing cholesterol

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI): A technique called PCI aids in clearing the clogged coronary artery and reestablishing blood flow. In order to maintain the artery open, a stent may also be inserted.

CABG, or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A healthy artery or vein is taken out of one part of your body and placed in another to bypass the blocked coronary artery. This procedure is known as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Modifications in Lifestyle: Your physician will suggest a number of lifestyle adjustments to support heart health and avert another heart attack.

 

Treatments for Heart Failure

The kind of heart failure you have may determine the kind of treatment you receive. Among the possible course of treatment are:

Prescription Drugs: Heart failure can be treated with a variety of drugs. These may include:

 

Drugs like aldosterone inhibitors and diuretics

Encourage urination to get rid of excess fluid and salt

Drugs that lower heart rate, like ivabradine and beta blockers

Make your heartbeat stronger, like digoxin (Lanoxin)

Relax blood vessel walls, such ACE inhibitors and ARBs

 

Medical Gadgets: Heart failure can be treated with a variety of implanted medical devices. Among them are:

 

Pacemakers: This can assist in restoring normal cardiac rhythms.

Ventricular Assist Devices: which can improve the efficiency with which your ventricles pump blood.

 
Cardioverter Defibrillators: which monitor your heart rate and treat arrhythmias with tiny electrical impulses.

Medical Procedures: To cure congenital disorders, cardiac valve problems, or clogged arteries, surgery may be required. It could be advised to get a heart transplant in extremely serious situations.

Modifications in Lifestyle: Similar to a heart attack, your doctor will advise lifestyle modifications to support heart health and stop heart failure from worsening.

 

If you believe you are experiencing a heart attack, what should you do?

Dial emergency number right away if you think you or someone else is experiencing a heart attack. A heart attack is a medical emergency that needs to be treated quickly in order to avoid fatal consequences or major complications. The earlier treatment is commenced, the better the prognosis for a heart attack.

Even if you're not sure if you're having a heart attack, it's crucial to get medical attention. Your symptoms can indicate another medical ailment that requires attention if it's not a heart attack.

Things to Watch out For

The following are some possible heart attack warning signs:

Pressure or pain in the chest

Breathlessness

Chilly sweats

Experiencing lightheadedness or dizzy

Vomiting or nausea

Unusually high levels of exhaustion

 

Pain in the:

 

Arms

Shoulders

Back

Neck or jaw

It's crucial to remember that heart attacks don't always happen the way they are portrayed in TV shows and movies. Individual differences may be seen in symptoms. For instance, symptoms like unusual weariness, nausea, and lightheadedness are more common in women.

How can you strengthen the health of your heart?

Heart attacks and heart failure have many of the same risk factors, despite significant differences in their causes, symptoms, and therapies. These risks include:

Smoking

Advanced age

Family history of cardiac disease

Consuming a diet heavy in saturated or trans fats, cholesterol, and salt

Insufficient physical activity

 

Underlying medical issues, such as

 

High blood pressure

Elevated cholesterol

Diabetes

Obesity

Try the following heart-healthy advice to avoid heart disease, which includes heart attacks and heart failure:

 

Steer clear of junk food: Foods heavy in sugar, salt, and trans or saturated fats should be avoided or limited.

 

Set a limit on alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your risk of heart disease. Try to keep consumption to one drink for ladies and two for men each day.

 

Give up smoking: Heart disease is one of the several health issues that smoking might raise your risk of. If you smoke, create a plan to stop with the help of your healthcare provider.

 

Take initiative: Engage in regular exercise. Five days a week for thirty minutes of physical activity is a decent goal.

Control your weight: Heart disease risk increases with obesity. Your physician can provide you with safe weight loss recommendations

.
Handle more medical conditions: Ensure that other medical issues are appropriately treated. Use your drugs as prescribed by your physician if you take any.

Visit your physician frequently: Regular examinations can aid in the early detection and treatment of many medical disorders, including heart disease.

Make heart-healthy eating choices: Eat a diet high in the following:

 

Fresh produce

Complete grains

Lean meats and seafood

Dairy goods with reduced fat

Unsaturated fats

 

Frequently Requested Inquiries

 

How long is a Person able to Survive Heart Failure?

Roughly 57% of patients with chronic heart failure lived for five years, and roughly 35% lived for ten, according to a 2019 assessment of numerous research.

 

How long does a person typically live after a heart attack?

 
An individual who has experienced a heart attack typically loses 16 years of life expectancy, according to the American Heart Association.

Which occurs first, cardiac failure or an attack on the heart?

 
A heart attack usually occurs first. Heart failure can result from having a heart attack.

In summary

Many risk factors and underlying medical issues are similar between heart attack and heart failure.

A heart attack occurs when a section of the heart's blood supply is totally or partially cut off. When the heart is unable to adequately pump blood to all of the body's parts, heart failure results.

While heart attack and heart failure have different causes, symptoms, and treatments, there are similar preventative measures that can be taken. These mostly consist of maintaining underlying medical issues, exercising frequently, and adhering to a nutritious diet.

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