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

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