Heart attack and stroke are two different conditions but they do have something in common. First, they belong to a class of diseases known as cardiovascular disease that involve the heart or blood vessels. Then both heart attack and stroke are caused by blockage of blood vessels. The difference is a heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in an artery in the heart that leads to damaged heart muscle, whiles stroke is a blockage of an artery that leads to the brain.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. So, knowing their symptoms and getting medical help in time may save life.
Symptoms of heart attack include chest pain, discomfort in other parts of the body like neck, arms, jaw, back or stomach, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, nausea and cold sweating. Women are more likely to have symptoms such as unusual fatigues, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or lightheadedness, discomfort in the neck, shoulder or upper back, and discomfort in gut.
People who suspect they have a heart attack should immediately call for emergency medical help. If they cannot do it themselves, they should ask someone nearby to do it for them. In the meantime, they should stop all activities and try to stay calm and wait for the ambulance to come. If you are with someone who might have a heart attack and becomes unconscious, you should start CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation). You should call emergency dispatcher who can talk you through the steps until help arrives, if you do not know how to do it.
Being a lifesaving technique, CPR is useful in situations like heart attack or near drowning, in which someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. Keeping oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs is important. This is because when the heart stops, the lack of oxygenated blood can cause brain damage in only a few minutes, and a person may just die within 8 to 10 minutes.
Stroke symptoms, on the other hand, do not include any pain or discomfort. They are more likely associated with losing feeling or the ability to move. Stroke often affects only one side of the body. People who are suspected of having a stroke can have signs like sudden, severe headache with no known cause, confusion (trouble in speaking or understanding), numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg and usually on one side of the body, loss of vision in one or both eyes or having double vision, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination.
As stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability or even death, quickly calling emergency medical help is paramount. The sooner treatment starts, the better chance of having a full discovery.
The statistics on heart disease are truly alarming. What is even more disturbing is the fact that many of us know what the signs are but choose to ignore them till it is too late, in the belief that ‘it won’t happen to me’. Sure, some of the risk factors cannot be controlled but if we can at least take proper precautions against those factors that can be controlled it would make a huge difference. I for one am booking marking your article as well as the other article on ‘How To Prevent Heart Disease’. Thank you for putting together such valuable and helpful advice. Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease
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