Many people confuse the terms “heart attack” and “stroke,” using them\u00a0interchangeably, thinking they are the same thing. But they are not.<\/p>\n\n
A stroke affects the brain. A heart attack affects the heart. Let’s look at each in more detail.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0American\u00a0Heritage Dictionary defines a stroke<\/a>\u00a0as:\u00a0A sudden loss of brain function caused by an interruption in the supply of blood to the brain. A ruptured blood vessel or cerebral thrombosis may cause the stroke, which can occur in varying degrees of severity from temporary paralysis and slurred speech to permanent brain damage and death.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The first signs of a stroke are numbness, slurred speech, weakness, paralysis on one side of the body, blurred vision or sudden loss of vision, drooping arm or leg, dropped face or dribbling mouth, unsteadiness, confusion speaking or understanding speech.<\/p>\n If you believe someone is having a stroke, call 911 immediately. It is important to keep the person calm, but give him\/her nothing to eat or drink. Continue\u00a0monitoring until the paramedics arrive.<\/p>\n There are two main types of stroke. The most common is when a clot blocks an artery that carries blood to the brain. This is caused by a Cerebral Thrombosis or Cerebral Embolism.<\/p>\n The second most common stroke is a Bleed. This is when a Blood Vessel breaks in the brain, also called a Hemorrhagic Stroke.<\/p>\n For more information on strokes, watch this short video<\/a>:<\/p>\n