Many people think heart failure and heart attack are the same thing, but they are actually two very different heart conditions.
Both are serious and can be life-threatening, but they happen in different ways, have different symptoms, and need different types of treatment.
Understanding the difference can help people recognize the warning signs and seek the right medical help in time.
A heart attack happens suddenly when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a blood clot. This blockage stops oxygen from reaching that part of the heart, and if the blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the heart muscle can be permanently damaged.
The medical name for a heart attack is myocardial infarction. Most heart attacks are caused by a build-up of fatty deposits called plaque in the arteries. When one of these plaques breaks open, a clot can form and block the artery.
Symptoms of a heart attack often come on quickly and can include chest pain or pressure, pain that spreads to the arms, neck, jaw, or back, shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, or lightheadedness. Some heart attacks are “silent,” especially in women, older adults, or people with diabetes, meaning they cause few or no symptoms but still cause damage.
Heart failure, on the other hand, is a long-term condition where the heart becomes too weak or stiff to pump blood properly. Unlike a heart attack, which is sudden, heart failure develops slowly over time.
It doesn’t mean the heart has stopped working, but it means it can’t meet the body’s needs as well as it should. Heart failure can be caused by many things, including high blood pressure, previous heart attacks, heart valve disease, or cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle).
People with heart failure often feel tired, have trouble breathing—especially when lying down—have swelling in the legs, ankles, or belly, and may have a persistent cough. The symptoms can get worse over time, and flare-ups may require hospital treatment.
Although the causes are different, heart attacks and heart failure can be connected. A heart attack can damage the heart muscle so badly that it leads to heart failure later on. Research shows that people who survive a heart attack are at higher risk of developing heart failure, especially if they don’t get proper treatment and follow-up care.
Treatment also differs. A heart attack needs immediate emergency care, often involving medications to dissolve clots, procedures to open blocked arteries (like angioplasty), or even surgery such as bypass grafting. The goal is to restore blood flow quickly to save as much of the heart muscle as possible.
Heart failure treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing the condition from getting worse. This usually includes medications that help the heart pump better, reduce fluid build-up, and control blood pressure.
Lifestyle changes like eating less salt, exercising carefully, and avoiding smoking or alcohol are also important. In severe cases, devices like pacemakers or even a heart transplant may be needed.
In summary, a heart attack is a sudden event caused by a blocked artery, while heart failure is a long-term condition where the heart can’t pump blood well enough. Both are serious, but they have different causes, symptoms, and treatments. Knowing the difference can help people take better care of their heart and respond quickly when something doesn’t feel right.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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