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What is the difference between a heart attack and a heart failure?

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What is the difference between a heart attack and a heart failure?

  • The heart is the means of oxygen and nutrients to all the organs of the body.
  • Any damage to the heart would result in unhealthy organs.

Heart Attack

  • Heart attack is scientifically known as myocardial infarction.
  • This occurs when an artery leading to the heart is suddenly clogged, blocking enough blood flow to the heart.
  • If this matter is not sorted out in time, can result in damaged heart muscles which will eventually expire.

Heart Failure

  • A heart failure is a slow death.
  • In this condition, the heart loses its capability of pumping enough blood for the body to carry out its functions.
  • The growth of body cells halts because they fail to receive the nourishment needed.
  • This condition gets worse with time.
  • Heart attack weakens the heart which eventually fails to function.
  • A heart failure, sometimes, occurs right after a heart attack with severe symptoms, this is called acute heart failure.
  • Both defects are fatal diseases of the heart. They differ in some way while having common causes.
  • It is important to know the types of heart failure to be able to differentiate them from heart attacks. These types include:

Right-sided Heart Failure

  • This type targets the side of the heart which receives deoxygenated blood from the whole body.
  • The heart fails in pumping blood to the lungs for fulfilling their oxygen requirement.

Left-sided Heart Failure

  • This heart failure strikes the part of the heart that sends out oxygenated blood to the body.
  • Left-sided heart failure is the most common among them.
  • Left-sided heart failure is furthermore divided into two categories, these are:
    Systolic
  • Ejection fraction of the heart is reduced.
  • The left ventricles cannot pump blood competently out of the heart to the tissues of the body for circulation.
Diastolic
  • In diastolic, the left ventricle becomes stiff which makes it hard to relax between beats.
  • They cannot properly fill for the continuation of blood circulation.
  • This is called preserved ejaculation fraction.

Biventricular Heart Failure

  • As the name indicates both the sides of the heart are damaged by heart failure which hinds their performance.

Congestive Heart Failure

  • All the above-mentioned heart failures can in turn result in congestive heart failure when the returning blood gets backed up causing swelling or edema in different body parts.
  • This situation gets worse with time, that is why they are labeled as the progressive condition.

 

Heart attack

Heart failure
A heart attack is caused by total or partial blockage of the heart artery.

 

 

Causes:

1.      coronary artery disease

2.      Coronary artery spasm

 When heart muscles are damaged or overworked because of their poor heath, heart failure takes place.

 

Causes:

1.      Systolic failure

2.      Diastolic failure
Symptoms:

1.      Chest pain (mild to severe)

2.      Arm pain

3.      Shoulder pain

4.      Neck or jaw pain

5.      Back pain

6.      Breathlessness

7.      Nausea

8.      Dizziness

9.      Cold sweats

10.  fatigue

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medication

·       Clot-busting medication for blood clots

·       Painkillers

·       ACE inhibitors or beta blockers for lowering blood pressure

·       Statins for lowering cholesterol level

·       Nitroglycerine for opening arteries

Treatment

Coronary Artery Bypass surgery (CABG)

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

Lifestyle change (exercise etc.)

 Symptoms:

Left sided:

1.      breathlessness

2.      cough

3.      trouble concentrating

4.      fatigue

5.      purplish nails or lips

6.      facing sleeplessness while lying flat

Right sided:

1.      nausea

2.      loss of appetite

3.      frequent urination

4.      unexplained weight gain

5.      abdominal swelling

6.      abdominal pain

Biventricular:

a mix of symptoms of both left and right heart side failure.

Medication

·       Diuretics or aldosterone inhibitors for removing extra fluid and sodium through urination.

·       ACE inhibitors & ARBs for relaxing blood vessels walls

·       Digoxin for stronger heartbeats

·       Beta blockers & Ivabradine for pacing down heart rate

 

 

Treatment

·       Medical devices:

Ø Ventricular assist device

Ø Implanted Cardioverter defibrillators

Ø Pacemakers

·       Surgery

·       Lifestyle change (exercise etc.)