What is the difference between congestive heart failure and heart attack

The CDC estimates that 6. Among the different types of heart failure, the most common is left-sided heart failure. There are two types of left-sided heart failure:. Right-sided heart failure impacts the side of your heart that receives oxygen-poor blood from your body.

In right-sided heart failure, the heart cannot effectively pump blood to the lungs to receive oxygen. Congestive heart failure refers to a specific stage of heart failure. Congestive heart failure can result from failure on the left side, right side, or both sides of your heart. A heart attack is caused by complete or partial blockage of the coronary arteries.

Heart failure is typically caused by conditions that damage the heart or force it to work harder to pump blood. Coronary artery disease is a common cause of heart attacks. With this condition, a substance called plaque has built up on the walls of the arteries through a process called atherosclerosis.

As plaque accumulates, the coronary arteries become narrow. Plaque within a coronary artery can break, causing a blood clot to form.

This blood clot can disrupt the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, leading to a heart attack. A less common cause of heart attack is a sudden tightening spasm of the coronary arteries, which can also restrict blood flow.

This can happen due to severe physical or emotional stress, extreme cold, or using drugs like cocaine. The most common symptoms of a heart attack and heart failure can also differ. One of the main symptoms of a heart attack is chest pain. The pain can range from mild to severe in intensity. It may feel like pressure or a sensation of fullness or squeezing.

Shortness of breath is one of the main symptoms of heart failure. The different types of heart failure can also have different symptoms. Some additional symptoms of left-sided heart failure are:. People who have biventricular heart failure can experience symptoms of both right- and left-sided heart failure. Treatment for a heart attack focuses on restoring blood flow to the affected area of the heart and preventing additional damage from occurring.

Heart failure treatment aims to manage the conditions that contribute to heart failure, reduce strain on the heart, and prevent heart failure from becoming worse. The type of treatment you receive for heart failure can depend on the type of heart failure you have. Heart failure is usually the result of another disease, most commonly coronary artery disease. Other causes include different forms of heart disease, a blood clot in the lungs, problems with the thyroid gland, heart valve disorders, kidney failure, and untreated or out-of-control blood pressure.

This condition can affect people of any age, especially if they were born with a heart defect. It most often affects older people whose hearts may be weakened by age-related conditions. Read more on the common symptoms and causes of heart failure. Skip to content. Heart Attack. During a heart attack, not everyone has the same symptoms. Click To Tweet.

Cardiac Arrest. In cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating and needs to be restarted. Call immediately if you think someone has gone into cardiac arrest. Heart Failure. Read: Living With Heart Failure. Other symptoms include: Dry, hacking cough, especially when lying down Confusion, sleepiness and disorientation in older people Dizziness, fainting, fatigue or weakness Fluid buildup, usually in the legs, ankles and feet Increased urination at night Nausea, abdominal swelling, tenderness or pain that may result from fluid in the body and backup of blood in the liver Rapid breathing Bluish skin Feelings of anxiety, restlessness and suffocation Shortness of breath and lung congestion Wheezing and spasms in the airway, similar to asthma.

Heart failure can affect people of any age. Heart failure may also cause arrhythmia that can lead to cardiac arrest. Tags: Prevention. Popular Categories. Popular Topics. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Chambers and valves of the heart Open pop-up dialog box Close.

Chambers and valves of the heart A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers. Enlarged heart, in heart failure Open pop-up dialog box Close. Enlarged heart, in heart failure As the heart weakens, as it can with heart failure, it begins to enlarge, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood on to the rest of the body. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Heart failure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Accessed Oct. Ferri FF. Heart failure. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Colucci WS. Determining the etiology and severity of heart failure or cardiomyopathy. Evaluation of the patient with suspected heart failure. Heart failure HF. Merck Manual Professional Version. Vasan RS, et al. Epidemiology and causes of heart failure. Goldman L, et al. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Warning signs of heart failure. American Heart Association. Rakel D, ed. In: Integrative Medicine.

Borlaug BA, et al. Treatment and prognosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Allen L. Palliative care for patients with advanced heart failure: Decision support, symptom management, and psychosocial assistance. The dying patient. Brown AY. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Mancini D. Heart transplantation in adults: Indications and contraindications.

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