Don't get confused, these are different symptoms of a heart attack and stroke

Many people often mistake the difference between a stroke and a heart attack. In fact, both require different handling. Although, these two medical conditions often occur suddenly, they each have different symptoms. So, what are the different symptoms of a heart attack and stroke? Check out the full explanation below.

The causes of heart attack and stroke are different

Not only symptoms, the causes of heart attacks and strokes are also different. The following is an explanation of the conditions that cause heart attacks and strokes.

Causes of a heart attack

A heart attack is a medical condition that occurs due to narrowing of the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart). Therefore, blood flow to the heart becomes very limited, so that it can no longer flow to the heart.

Coronary artery blockage due to plaque can occur if blood cholesterol levels are too high. The cholesterol then forms plaques which gradually break down. If it has ruptured, the plaque will form blood clots that block blood flow to the heart.

This condition will get worse in a matter of hours, and if not treated immediately, the heart muscle will be damaged and the heart will die. This condition can certainly lead to death.

Causes of stroke

The most common type of stroke is ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that is responsible for supplying blood to the brain is blocked by blood clotting. This kind of stroke occurs because of a blood clot in an artery in the brain. This can cut off blood circulation to the brain.

In addition, ischemic strokes can also occur due to plaque buildup in the carotid arteries (in the neck area) which carry blood to the brain. Then the plaque falls off and travels to the blood vessels in the brain, which in turn results in a stroke.

Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. This condition occurs when blood vessels in the brain burst and blood spills into the surrounding tissue. The leaking blood then builds up and blocks the surrounding brain tissue. One of the risk factors is high blood pressure, which presses on the artery walls, causing hemorrhagic strokes.

The different symptoms of a heart attack and stroke

Sometimes heart attacks and strokes are similar, so the two conditions look no different when symptoms appear. However, you can look for different symptoms of heart attack and stroke by paying attention to the following points.

Symptoms of a heart attack

The most common symptoms of a heart attack include:

Chest pain and discomfort
There is a feeling of discomfort in the upper body area
Hard to breathe
Cold sweat appeared
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Mild headaches

Symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person, some of them even don't show any symptoms. Most heart attacks occur suddenly. However, there are also those who get "warnings" of a heart attack hours, days, even weeks beforehand.

Stroke symptoms

The visible symptoms of a stroke will depend on which part of the brain is damaged. Unlike heart attack symptoms, stroke symptoms are indicated by a number of problems with memory, speech, muscle control, and various other functions.

The different symptoms of a heart attack and stroke are also seen in the most common symptoms. If the most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain, here are the common symptoms a stroke sufferer may experience:

Sudden feeling of numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs which tends to occur on only one side of the body.
Difficulty in speaking or understanding speech.
Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes.
Sudden, severe headache, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, and shifting consciousness.
One side of the face looks "sagged" and doesn't work.
One of the arms was weak and numb.

The FAST method for identifying stroke symptoms

You may still be confused about how to distinguish between heart attack and stroke symptoms. Therefore, there is no harm in studying FAST, which is one of the methods recommended by the American Stroke Association. The goal is to make it easier for you to identify possible stroke symptoms.

FAST stands for some of the most common symptoms of stroke.

F (Face): When smiling, does one side of the face feel down or "sag"?
A (Arms or Arms): If you raise both arms, does one arm go limp and fall down?
S (Speech or Talk): Is your speech slurred, such as slurred or nasal discharge? Is there any difficulty speaking?
T (Time or Time): You should immediately call 911 or go to the emergency room at the nearest health service, if you experience this.

Judging from the general symptoms of stroke summarized in the FAST method, of course you can find a fairly clear difference between the symptoms of a stroke and a heart attack. Although different, both are quite serious health conditions.

Therefore, immediately contact your doctor or Emergency Unit (UGD) at the nearest hospital to immediately get treatment for a heart attack or stroke. If you are confused about your symptoms, a medical professional will find different symptoms that can help determine the condition you are experiencing.

That way, you may be able to quickly recover from the condition you are experiencing. Not only that, you may be able to prevent heart attacks and strokes by immediately having your health condition checked.

The doctor will help you deal with the condition. Either by giving drugs for heart attack or stroke, or by surgical procedures.