What is heart failure, heart attack and cardiac arrest? how symptoms
Dr Mohit Dayal Gupta, professor of cardiology at GB Pant Hospital, explains the difference between the three.
- The heart has three parts – the arteries that supply blood, the heart muscles that keep the heart pumping, and the electrical circuit that makes the heart beat. When these muscles don’t pump properly, blood instead of moving can get trapped or reflux into the lungs, when this happens the patient may feel breathless, tired, or unable to walk or work. This is called heart failure.
- When there is blockage in the arteries and the supply to the heart muscle is reduced, initially it is called angina, complete blockage is called heart attack.
- When the currents in the heart are not working properly, they are said to be palpitations. If this current increases suddenly, the heart starts trembling very fast, the patient may fall – it is called Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Early symptoms of heart failure include visible shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the legs. In case of angina or heart attack, the patient experiences severe chest pain. Shortness of breath on movement and relief on rest is also a symptom of angina.