Heart Disease Vs. Stroke

Stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) are two different conditions. However, these ailments develop and affect the body similarly. In addition, heart disease and stroke have a tragic connection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both are leading causes of death for American women.

A stroke results from interrupted or reduced blood supply to the brain. The most common is an ischemic stroke—when blood vessels are narrowed by fat deposits or blocked by clots. Blockages prevent oxygen-rich blood from reaching the brain.

CHD affects the arteries of the heart. It develops over time as plaque accumulates and narrows the arteries — a process called atherosclerosis. A heart attack can occur when little-to-no blood reaches the heart.

If you have atherosclerosis in your coronary arteries, chances are that other arteries in your body have experienced narrowing, too—including the brain. Risks for atherosclerosis include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and diets high in saturated fat. If you modify these risk factors, you may be able to protect yourself from two serious health threats.

Timeline and Symptoms

If you experience stroke or heart attack symptoms, it is vital to seek swift medical treatment.

According to Johns Hopkins, irreversible damage can happen within 30 minutes of blood oxygen cut-off, and heart cells start to die. Heart attack symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain accompanied by pain in the arm, neck, jaw or back. You might also feel faint or experience cold sweats.

Similarly, the longer the brain is without oxygenated blood, the more likely irreparable damage becomes. If untreated, ischemic strokes can last 10 hours and age your brain up to 36 years. Several studies claim you lose 2 million brain cells every minute a stroke goes untreated. Symptoms of a stroke are facial numbness or weakness on one side of the body, severe headache with no known cause, sudden coordination trouble and difficulty speaking or understanding speech.

If you suspect you or a loved one is having a heart attack or stroke, don't waste a precious second — call 911 immediately.

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