Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStrokeHeart AttackTreatmentPreventionFAQs
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Stroke
Heart Attack
Treatment
Prevention
FAQs
This article reviews the symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment for heart attacks and strokes.
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What Is a Stroke?
Strokes occur when there is not enough blood flow to the brain. This lack of blood starves the brain of the essential oxygen it needs to function, leading to brain cell death.
There are two main types of strokes:
Symptoms
Stroke symptomsusually come on quickly and include:
Strokes are life-threatening and require emergency care. If you think that you or someone else is having a stroke, call 911 as soon as possible.
What to Do (and Not Do) If Someone Is Having a Stroke
Causes
Several major factors can increase your risk of having an ischemic stroke, including:
Lifestyle factors that can increase your risk of ischemic stroke include:
Hemorrhagic strokes are due to bleeding in the brain, and usually occur from one of the following factors:
There is also a link between head trauma and an increased risk of having a hemorrhagic stroke in the future.
The Relationship Between Head Trauma and Stroke
Side Effects
How a stroke affects someone can differ depending on which part of the brain is involved. Although each stroke is unique, some of the after-effects may include:
What to Expect From Stroke Rehabilitation
What Is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, also known as amyocardial infarction(MI), occurs when blood flow to the heart is severely reduced or stopped. This can occur due to an accumulation of plaque within a blood vessel that causes the vessel to become narrower. The blockage is primarily made up of fat and cholesterol, known asatherosclerosis.
Either way, when the heart muscle stops receiving oxygen and nutrient-rich blood flow, cells in the heart become damaged or die.
The primarysymptom of a heart attackis usually chest pain or discomfort on the left or middle part of the chest that lasts for more than three minutes. This pressure can feel like squeezing, fullness, pain, or pressure.
Other symptoms of a heart attack can include:
Coronary artery disease(CAD) is the most common cause of a heart attack.CAD is also the leading cause of death in the United States.
Other health conditions increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. These include:
Uncontrollable risk factors include a family history of heart attacks and older age.
Recovery after a heart attack depends on many factors, including:
It’s crucial to discuss recovery steps with your healthcare provider. In some cases, people can return to work and normal daily activities anywhere from two weeks to three months after having a heart attack.
Other complications connected with having a heart attack include:
Stroke Treatment
In addition, some stroke treatments, such astissue plasminogen activator (TPA), must be given within a few hours of the onset of an ischemic stroke.
Upon arrival at the hospital, patients will have non-invasive diagnostic testing with acomputerized tomography (CT)scan to determine the type of stroke and the best course of treatment.
Some of thetreatments for strokethat may help save brain tissue include:
Heart Attack Treatment
If you have or see signs of someone having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.
Treatment for a heart attack is usually dependent on a diagnosticangiogramthat can view blood flow to your heart and determine how well your heart is pumping.
After determining the type of heart attack, some of the treatment methods given may include:
In some cases, a patient may receive a combination of treatments.
There are several ways to prevent a stroke and heart attack, such as:
Summary
Strokes and heart attacks result from a lack of oxygen-rich blood flow for essential brain and heart function. Both are life-threatening and can lead to long-term disability. They differ in that strokes result from blockages of blood flow to the brain, whereas heart attacks result from blockages to the heart.
Although some risk factors, such as age or genetics, are uncontrollable, many lifestyle risk factors can be addressed to minimize your chances of having a stroke or heart attack. These include eating healthy, exercising, not smoking, and managing existing health conditions.
If you or someone else has symptoms of a stroke or heart attack, call 911 immediately. Faster treatment leads to a greater chance of recovery.
Frequently Asked QuestionsA “mini-stroke,” also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), is similar to a stroke in terms of symptoms, but they only last for an hour or less and then resolve. In some people, a TIA may only last for a few minutes.If you have a TIA, you are at a greater risk of having a major stroke in the future. Talk to your healthcare providers about ways to lower your chances of having a stroke.Learn MoreWhat Is a Transient Ischemic Attack?Stroke volume is the volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart during each beat. Stroke volume is measured using anechocardiogram.Symptoms of a heart attack can include:Chest painLightheadednessJaw, neck, or back painPain in the shoulders or armsShortness of breathTiredness with no causeNausea or vomitingSweatingHeart palpitationsLearn MoreSigns of a Heart AttackMost heart attacks cause chest pain or discomfort that lasts more than several minutes. In some cases, the pain will go away and then return. A heart attack can also last several hours. If you think you are experiencing a heart attack, call 911 immediately for treatment.A normal heart rate for an adult is 60-100 beats per minute. During a heart attack, a person’s heart rate may elevate or can stay within a normal rate. However, there is evidence that a heart rate above 80 bpm during hospital admission increased the risk of death after a heart attack.
Frequently Asked Questions
A “mini-stroke,” also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), is similar to a stroke in terms of symptoms, but they only last for an hour or less and then resolve. In some people, a TIA may only last for a few minutes.If you have a TIA, you are at a greater risk of having a major stroke in the future. Talk to your healthcare providers about ways to lower your chances of having a stroke.Learn MoreWhat Is a Transient Ischemic Attack?
A “mini-stroke,” also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), is similar to a stroke in terms of symptoms, but they only last for an hour or less and then resolve. In some people, a TIA may only last for a few minutes.If you have a TIA, you are at a greater risk of having a major stroke in the future. Talk to your healthcare providers about ways to lower your chances of having a stroke.
A “mini-stroke,” also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), is similar to a stroke in terms of symptoms, but they only last for an hour or less and then resolve. In some people, a TIA may only last for a few minutes.
If you have a TIA, you are at a greater risk of having a major stroke in the future. Talk to your healthcare providers about ways to lower your chances of having a stroke.
Learn MoreWhat Is a Transient Ischemic Attack?
Stroke volume is the volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart during each beat. Stroke volume is measured using anechocardiogram.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:Chest painLightheadednessJaw, neck, or back painPain in the shoulders or armsShortness of breathTiredness with no causeNausea or vomitingSweatingHeart palpitationsLearn MoreSigns of a Heart Attack
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:Chest painLightheadednessJaw, neck, or back painPain in the shoulders or armsShortness of breathTiredness with no causeNausea or vomitingSweatingHeart palpitations
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
Learn MoreSigns of a Heart Attack
Most heart attacks cause chest pain or discomfort that lasts more than several minutes. In some cases, the pain will go away and then return. A heart attack can also last several hours. If you think you are experiencing a heart attack, call 911 immediately for treatment.
A normal heart rate for an adult is 60-100 beats per minute. During a heart attack, a person’s heart rate may elevate or can stay within a normal rate. However, there is evidence that a heart rate above 80 bpm during hospital admission increased the risk of death after a heart attack.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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American Stroke Association.Effects of stroke.
American Heart Association.What is a heart attack?
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