Which Disease is Worse?Angina, Stroke, or Heart Attack?
A stroke is very different from angina and a heart attack. They all affect the circulatory system, though.
They are also all caused by some sort of blockage of oxygen rich blood.
In the case of angina and heart attack the blockage is to the heart. In a heart attack, part of the heart tissue dies.
In the case of a stroke the blockage is to the brain. In a stroke, part of the brain tissue dies.
It is also called a brain attack.
The symptoms of a stroke are also quite different than those of angina and heart attack.
- Vomiting
- Vertigo
- Weakness
- Tremor
- Clumsiness
- Loss of control of fine movements
- Blurry vision
- Loss of vision in 1 eye
- Sudden confusion
- Numbness of leg, arm, or face
- Difficulty finding words and understanding others
- Pallor
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Severe, heavy crushing pain in centre of chest
- Pain can spread into neck and arms
- Nausea
- Sometimes vomiting
- Anxiety
- Fear of dying
- Restlessness
- Constricting, heavy pain in the centre of chest
- Pain can spread to other places such as the arms, throat, jaw, shoulders & back
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Anxiety
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
Stroke Heart Attack Angina
As you can see, angina and heart attacks have some different symptoms, but most are very similar.
You could say an angina attack is a way less extreme version of a heart attack.
Angina is triggered by physical exertion.
They can both be caused by coronary artery disease, which is when plaque builds up inside coronary arteries, and coronary artery spasms.
Heart attacks can also be caused by a clot that can completely blocks blood flow.
Clots form when the plaque lining the artery ruptures.
A stroke is caused by different things.Cerebral thrombosis, which is when a blood
vessel in the brain is clotted, can cause a stroke.
This cause is similar to the cause of a heart attack, except the clots are in different places.
A cerebral hemorrhage, which is when an artery in the brain ruptures and blood seeps into surrounding tissues, is the cause of one in every 5 strokes.
The transmission of angina, heart attack, and stroke are all the same!All of these diseases are non-contagious.
Genetics may play a part.
If a close family member has had any one of these diseases, you may be at risk.
Doctors use some different diagnosis techniques for each disease.
CT scan or MRI is used to scan the brain
Doctor will look for bleeding or vessel blockage
Cerebral angiography or Cartiod doppler may be done
Search for narrowed arteries
Further tests are run to look for source of embolus
Echocardiographs are done to assess heart valves, and heart monitoring
First, patient is asked how he/she is feeling
Signals from the heart are monitored
Blood tests reveal presence of heart attack by looking for protein that is released when heart cells die
Blood tests also possibilities of of other diseases being confused with a heart attack
Doctor will usually make
diagnosis from symptoms
Doctor will give complete physical exam
May run various tests if diagnosis is difficult
Blood pressure testing to check for hypertension
Blood tests to check for anemia and elevated cholesterol levels
ECG which monitors the heart
A coronary angiography is done if there is a problem with blood flow to heart
Stroke Heart Attack
Angina
Angina, heart attack, and stroke all use drug treatments. For a stroke you are given a drug to dissolve a clot, if there is one.
Aspirin is given to prevent more clots.
Antihypertensive drugs are given to lower your blood pressure.
Corticosteroids will be prescribed for inflamed arteries.
For angina, drugs are given to reduce the number and severity of attacks, and also to relieve acute episodes of pain.
Different kinds of drugs given are nitrate, beta blockers, & calcium channel blockers.
Just like stroke, aspirin may be given.
For a heart attack, drugs are given to dissolve a clot, just like stroke.
Other drugs given are beta blockers (just like angina), ACE inhibitors, & anticoagulants.
All of the same lifestyle changes can be made to treat these diseases.Quitting smoking
Losing excess weight
Eating foods low in saturated fat
Drinking less or no alcohol
Since a stroke affects the brain, more treatment will be needed.
After emergency care, patient will require physiotherapy
Good nursing will improve a patients chance of recovering
Speech therapy and occupational therapy may be required as well
The outcome of angina, heart attack, and stroke vary.
Outcome is difficult to predict
Depends on cause of stroke and speed of treatment
1 third of patients make a full or almost full recovery
1 third end up with some sort of disability, or need long-term care
1 in 5 die within a month
Could have a symptom permanently
Prognosis is good if there are no complications
After 2 weeks, the risk of another heart attack is reduced
You could die!
Of the people who die, half die within the first hour of the first symptoms before they reach the hospital
Final outcome depends
on extent of coronary artery disease
As long as you follow treatment recommended by doctor you should be able to live a normal life
There will be restrictions on exercise
Stroke Heart Attack Angina
The people at risk for these diseases are fairly similar. The risk of getting these
diseases gets higher with increasing age, stroke especially in people over 60, and heart attack especially people over 65.
African Americans have a higher chance of having a heart attack than Caucasians do, and Black, Asian, or Hispanic people are more likely to have a stroke. Whereas race doesn’t play a part in angina.
Strokes, heart attacks, and angina are more common in males, but angina is only more common in males until age 60
People who smoke, eat high-fat foods, don’t exercise often, and are overweight are more likely to get any of these three diseases.
Which disease is worse? We feel that the worst disease is stroke.
The symptoms for all 3 diseases are pretty bad, but we feel the worst symptoms are for stroke.
Some stroke symptoms might not even go away!
More treatment is needed in order to recover.
We feel like you have the best chance of dying with this disease since 1 in 5 die within a month.
Since a stroke affects your brain, the control centre of your whole body, we think that it is the worst to have.
Also, the outcome is probably the worst because you could end up with some sort of disability!
STR
OK
E!