By Miranda Miller
Heart disease is the most prevalent disease in the United States, affecting more than 18 million Americans over the age of 20. These conditions can range from mechanical errors to bacterial infections, and affect people of all ages, genders, and races. Two of the most common cardiovascular conditions are heart attacks and heart failure. Despite their prevalence, they are commonly confused with one another; differentiating these conditions is critical because the symptoms, treatments and prognoses are often very different.
Heart Attacks
A heart attack, sometimes known as a myocardial infarction, is when blood flow to the heart is suddenly cut off, resulting in death of the heart muscle. High cholesterol, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are among the most common causes for heart attacks. These harmful habits and preexisting conditions weaken the heart muscle and make arteries more susceptible to atherosclerosis; in this process, cholesterol, fat, and other substances accumulate on the artery walls, creating plaque. When this plaque breaks, a blood clot is formed around it, blocking the flow of oxygenated blood into the heart. This lack of blood flow causes heart tissue to die.
Symptoms that could be warning signs of a heart attack include chest pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s vital to call for help immediately, as damage occurs very quickly. Treatment to prevent future heart attacks usually include beta blockers which reduce blood clots, stents to reduce plaque blockage, and bypass surgeries that reroute blood away from severely damaged arteries.
Heart Failure
Heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart muscle has been weakened to the point where it no longer effectively delivers blood to the body. This condition is often confused with cardiac arrest, and it’s important to understand that heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped: Instead, it refers to the heart’s failure to cycle blood. Heart failure is typically developed due to pre existing heart conditions like coronary artery disease or myocarditis. Due to these conditions, the heart loses its ability to pump blood productively and can result in symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling of the feet and legs. While this disease is chronic and cannot be “cured”, treatments like beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics can help alleviate symptoms.
Being diagnosed with heart disease can be very scary, but having a good understanding of the symptoms, prognoses, and treatments of specific diseases can make conditions more manageable.
Sources-
Heart Failure Facts & Information
https://hfsa.org/patient-hub/heart-failure-facts-information#:~:text=Current%20estimates%20are%20that%20nearly,is%20also%20a%20major%20killer.
Heart attack
Heart Disease: Facts, Statistics, and You
https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/statistics#:~:text=Coronary%20heart%20disease%20affects%20about,23.5%20percent%20in%20Black%20people. | Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board