How to detect myocardial infarction early

Stroke and heart attack are two dangerous diseases with symptoms that make it very difficult for patients to distinguish between them.

Atherosclerotic plaques can block blood vessels in the brain, causing strokes.

However, these two diseases have many differences.

A heart attack is a heart-related pain, while a stroke is related to the brain. Essentially, both diseases are caused by the blockage of arteries that supply blood to two vital organs: the heart and the brain. That's the big difference, but both can be fatal.

A stroke can affect one side of the body, while a heart attack affects the entire body. Strokes affect the brain, and depending on which hemisphere is affected, the side of the body symmetrical to that hemisphere will also be affected.

For example, a stroke occurs in the left hemisphere of the brain, affecting the right side of the body, and vice versa. In contrast, a heart attack does not affect the brain hemisphere or any specific part of the brain or body. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly distinguish between stroke and heart attack to ensure timely treatment.

Also known as a heart attack, it occurs when a branch of the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked by a blood clot or plaque, causing myocardial ischemia and leading to myocardial necrosis. When the heart muscle is necrotic, it causes chest pain.

Common symptoms of a heart attack include left chest pain radiating to the shoulder and neck; shortness of breath and a feeling of tightness or pressure in the chest; sweating and panic.

However, a heart attack can also manifest very mildly, with only pain or discomfort in the chest. In this case, the patient's chest pain is often vague and indistinct, manifesting as a feeling of heaviness, tightness, or constriction in the chest.

In some cases, chest pain or discomfort can radiate to the neck, back, jaw, arms, and shoulders. A characteristic of myocardial infarction is that it usually occurs between early morning and midday, around 4-10 am, and about a quarter of the attacks are silent, without chest pain, especially in people with underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

In addition to chest pain, patients with myocardial infarction may also experience numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs, especially if these symptoms occur on the same side; memory impairment; inability to speak or understand others; blurred vision in one or both eyes; inability to walk; dizziness; loss of balance or inability to perform movements; severe headache of unknown origin; nausea or vomiting; shortness of breath; sweating; fatigue; and even fainting.

Myocardial infarction (heart attack) is completely different in men and women. Women often do not experience typical chest pain, but instead have symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, shortness of breath, sweating, and fatigue.

Therefore, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the symptoms of these diseases in order to provide correct and timely treatment for effectiveness, because both diseases require proper treatment and each has its own treatment method.

According to Health and Life