When it comes to heart health, two terms often get mixed up: heart attack and heart failure. While both are serious, they’re very different in how they start, how they affect your body, and how we treat them. Let’s break it down for clarity.

What Is a Heart Attack?

• A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when one of the coronary arteries gets blocked—often by a blood clot—cutting off oxygen rich blood to part of the heart muscle.
  
• Because that region of heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, tissue can get damaged or die. 
• The onset is often sudden, and classic symptoms include:
  
  • Intense chest pain or pressure
    
  • Pain spreading to jaw, back, shoulder, arms
    
  • Shortness of breath
    
  • Cold sweats, nausea, dizziness

What Is Heart Failure?

• Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart can’t pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs. 
• It may result from prior heart attacks, persistent high blood pressure, valve disease, or cardiomyopathy weakening the heart over time.
• With heart failure, symptoms often appear gradually, such as:
  
  • Shortness of breath (especially when lying down)
    
  • Swelling in ankles, legs, abdomen (fluid buildup)
    
  • Extreme fatigue, weakness
    
  • Persistent cough or wheezing
    
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat 

How One Can Lead to the Other

A major heart attack can damage enough heart muscle that the remaining healthy tissue must compensate. Over time, that extra stress can lead to heart failure.

Diagnosing & Treating

Heart Attack

• Diagnosed with ECG, cardiac biomarkers (blood tests), coronary angiography. 
• Treatment is urgent: medications (thrombolytics, antiplatelets), angioplasty/stenting, bypass surgery.
  

Heart Failure

• Diagnosed with echocardiogram (echo), BNP/NT-proBNP blood tests, chest imaging, and clinical evaluation. 
• Treatment is long-term: medications (diuretics, ACE inhibitors / ARBs / ARNI, beta-blockers), lifestyle changes, device therapy (pacemakers, defibrillators), and in advanced cases, transplant or LVAD.
  

Prevention: Common Ground

Many steps help prevent both heart attack and heart failure:

• Control blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes
  
• Quit smoking
  
• Follow a heart-healthy diet (low salt, rich in fruits & vegetables)
  
• Stay physically active
  
• Monitor your weight & watch for excessive fluid gain
  
• Regular checkups with ECG, echo, and other tests when you have risk factors
  

Why This Distinction Matters

When people confuse these two, they may delay getting help. A heart attack is an emergency—minutes matter. Heart failure needs consistent care. Understanding the difference can save lives.

If you or someone you know has symptoms like chest pain, swelling, sudden fatigue, or shortness of breath, seek advice from a cardiologist immediately.

What Is a Heart Attack?

• A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when one of the coronary arteries gets blocked—often by a blood clot—cutting off oxygen rich blood to part of the heart muscle.
  
• Because that region of heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, tissue can get damaged or die. 
• The onset is often sudden, and classic symptoms include:
  
  • Intense chest pain or pressure
    
  • Pain spreading to jaw, back, shoulder, arms
    
  • Shortness of breath
    
  • Cold sweats, nausea, dizziness

What Is Heart Failure?

• Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart can’t pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs. 
• It may result from prior heart attacks, persistent high blood pressure, valve disease, or cardiomyopathy weakening the heart over time.
• With heart failure, symptoms often appear gradually, such as:
  
  • Shortness of breath (especially when lying down)
    
  • Swelling in ankles, legs, abdomen (fluid buildup)
    
  • Extreme fatigue, weakness
    
  • Persistent cough or wheezing
    
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat 

How One Can Lead to the Other

A major heart attack can damage enough heart muscle that the remaining healthy tissue must compensate. Over time, that extra stress can lead to heart failure.

Diagnosing & Treating

Heart Attack

• Diagnosed with ECG, cardiac biomarkers (blood tests), coronary angiography. 
• Treatment is urgent: medications (thrombolytics, antiplatelets), angioplasty/stenting, bypass surgery.
  

Heart Failure

• Diagnosed with echocardiogram (echo), BNP/NT-proBNP blood tests, chest imaging, and clinical evaluation. 
• Treatment is long-term: medications (diuretics, ACE inhibitors / ARBs / ARNI, beta-blockers), lifestyle changes, device therapy (pacemakers, defibrillators), and in advanced cases, transplant or LVAD.
  

Prevention: Common Ground

Many steps help prevent both heart attack and heart failure:

• Control blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes
  
• Quit smoking
  
• Follow a heart-healthy diet (low salt, rich in fruits & vegetables)
  
• Stay physically active
  
• Monitor your weight & watch for excessive fluid gain
  
• Regular checkups with ECG, echo, and other tests when you have risk factors
  

Why This Distinction Matters

When people confuse these two, they may delay getting help. A heart attack is an emergency—minutes matter. Heart failure needs consistent care. Understanding the difference can save lives.

If you or someone you know has symptoms like chest pain, swelling, sudden fatigue, or shortness of breath, seek advice from a cardiologist immediately.