Heat Stroke Vs Heart attack – Expert Explains How to Differentiate

Heatwaves often trigger heat stroke. This happens when extreme heat strains the cardiovascular system. Its symptoms often overlap significantly with heart attack, making it easy to confuse between the two. Today, we will explain the differences between heat stroke and heart attack to help you build awareness. 

To get a better understanding of this, we reached out to Dr Brunda MS, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore.

Heat Stroke Vs Heart Attack – How To Understand The Difference?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), when the body is unable to regulate its internal temperature and eliminate heat, it increases the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Dr Brunda says that heat stroke and heart attack are both medical emergencies, but they happen for different reasons and show different warning signs. The expert shares how to understand the difference between the two based on these factors:

Causes

Heat stroke occurs when the body becomes dangerously overheated, usually due to extreme heat exposure, dehydration, or long hours in the sun. 

A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart gets blocked, reducing oxygen supply to the heart muscle.

Symptoms

In heat stroke, the body temperature often rises above 40°C (104°F). The person may witness the following symptoms: 

• Hot, dry skin or heavy sweating
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Headache
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Rapid heartbeat, or even fainting

In severe cases, the person may become unconscious or have seizures. Heat stroke usually develops after staying in high temperatures or doing heavy physical activity in hot weather. Immediate cooling and emergency medical care are very important.

A heart attack mainly affects the heart and blood circulation. Common symptoms include: 

• Chest pain or pressure
• Tightness in the chest
• Pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw, back, or shoulder
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Sudden weakness. 

Some people, especially women and diabetic patients, may have unusual symptoms like fatigue, indigestion, or mild discomfort instead of severe chest pain.

When to See a Doctor

Dr Brunda says that if a person shows signs of heat stroke, move them to a cool place, give cooling support, and seek emergency help. “If a heart attack is suspected, emergency medical treatment should be started immediately because early treatment can save the heart muscle and reduce complications. In both situations, delaying medical care can be dangerous and life-threatening,” adds the expert.

ALSO READ- Heatwave Warning: Why Humidity Can Make Hot Weather More Dangerous

Conclusion

Heat stroke and heart attack may seem similar, but are very different. One important difference is that heat stroke mainly causes overheating and confusion, while a heart attack mainly causes chest-related symptoms due to blocked blood flow. However, both conditions can cause sweating, weakness, dizziness, and collapse, which sometimes creates confusion.