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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Would This Be Considered A Stroke Or A Heart Attack ?

At times my chest would feel like its contracting and it gets hard to breathe. The pain is pretty intense, almost to the point of blacking out. It really feels like someone has stuck their hand inside my chest and started squeezing my heart . Is this a stroke or heart attack? If so, then would this affect any other vital organs, such as my brain or my neurological responses?
Sun, 20 Dec 2009
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These are signs of an impending heart attack. The classic signs include gripping pain or pressure in the chest, shortness of breath, and pain in the left arm. These are not signs of a stroke. The classic signs of a stroke are numbness, difficulty speaking, dizziness or blurred vision, imbalance or falling down, and severe headaches. Heart attacks can affect other organs because the heart is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood to all other organs. In the worst case, if you have a massive heart attack and your heart stops, none of your organs would receive oxygen. Your brain could be damaged by the lack of oxygen. In fact, a stroke occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. So, you should treat your symptoms as a medical emergency. You are lucky that you have the time to act to protect your health.
Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.
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Would This Be Considered A Stroke Or A Heart Attack ?

These are signs of an impending heart attack. The classic signs include gripping pain or pressure in the chest, shortness of breath, and pain in the left arm. These are not signs of a stroke. The classic signs of a stroke are numbness, difficulty speaking, dizziness or blurred vision, imbalance or falling down, and severe headaches. Heart attacks can affect other organs because the heart is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood to all other organs. In the worst case, if you have a massive heart attack and your heart stops, none of your organs would receive oxygen. Your brain could be damaged by the lack of oxygen. In fact, a stroke occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. So, you should treat your symptoms as a medical emergency. You are lucky that you have the time to act to protect your health.