The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body. This function provides essential nutrients and oxygen to your cells and organs.
Heart disease impairs the heart’s ability to function properly and can cause severe health effects. Heart attacks and heart failure are two heart-related conditions that, if not treated, can have serious health consequences.
Many people mistakenly believe that the terms “heart attack” and “heart failure” indicate the same thing. In reality, these are distinct conditions that have several key differences.
Understanding the differences can help improve your understanding of heart health and determine when to seek medical attention.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, happens when there is a sudden reduction in blood supply to a portion of the heart. This indicates that the tissues in this area are not receiving the oxygen they need to survive.
Most heart attacks occur suddenly when one of the blood vessels leading to the heart gets blocked, cutting off blood flow. If it is not treated promptly, the affected part of the heart muscle may suffer damage or begin to die due to insufficient blood flow.
What is Heart Failure?
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood throughout the body. It could be because the heart is too weak to pump blood effectively or doesn’t fill with enough blood.
Heart failure, despite its name, does not mean that the heart stops beating.
There are different types of heart failure.
Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure [1]. It happens when the left side of the heart, which pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body, becomes too weak or stiff to work properly. It has the following two types.
- Systolic: Systolic heart failure, also referred to as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, occurs when the left ventricle of the heart is weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently to the body.
- Diastolic: Diastolic heart failure, also known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, occurs when the left ventricle becomes stiff and cannot relax between heartbeats, preventing it from filling adequately with blood.
Right-Sided and Biventricular Heart Failure
Right-sided heart failure affects the side of the heart that receives low-oxygen blood from the body. This condition occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation (getting oxygen in the blood).
When heart failure affects both sides of the heart, it is known as biventricular heart failure.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure is a particular stage of heart failure where the heart’s poor pumping causes blood to back up, leading to fluid buildup (congestion) in the lungs and swelling in other parts of the body.
Failure of the left or right side of your heart, or both, can lead to congestive heart failure. Since the condition is progressive, symptoms frequently worsen over time.
Key Differences Between a Heart Attack and Heart Failure
Key differences between a heart attack and heart failure are as follows.
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Causes
A partial or complete blockage of the coronary arteries results in a heart attack. Heart failure, on the other hand, usually results from conditions that harm the heart or require it to work harder to pump blood.
Causes of a Heart Attack
Heart attacks frequently result from coronary artery disease. In this condition, a material known as plaque accumulates on the arterial walls.
The coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart) narrow when plaque builds up. A blood clot can form when plaque within a coronary artery breaks, which can impede the blood flow through these arteries, resulting in a heart attack.
A less frequent cause of heart attacks is a sudden tightness (spasm) of the coronary arteries, which can also obstruct blood flow. Severe emotional or physical stress, intense cold, or drug use, such as cocaine, can all cause this.
In rare cases, a tear in the coronary artery walls may result in a heart attack. It is known as spontaneous coronary artery dissection.
Causes of Heart Failure
Different causes may contribute to different types of heart failure.
- Systolic heart failure: Chronic diseases (long-term illnesses) that can weaken or damage the heart are frequently the cause of systolic failure. These include:
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- Coronary Artery Disease
- Damage from a previous heart attack
- Heart valve conditions
- Irregular heartbeat
- Genetic Cardiomyopathy (an inherited condition involving a weakened heart muscle)
- Diastolic heart failure: Conditions that make your heart work harder to pump blood might lead to diastolic failure. The heart’s muscles may become stiff as a result. Among the causes for diastolic failure are:
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- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Right-sided heart failure: Left-sided heart failure frequently leads to right-sided heart failure. The heart has to work harder because blood backs up in its right side while the left side weakens. Other causes are:
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- Congenital heart conditions (heart problems present at birth)
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) (a group of progressive lung diseases)
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Symptoms
The most typical signs of heart failure and heart attacks can also be different.
Symptoms of Heart Attack
Chest pain is one of the primary signs of a heart attack. The level of the pain might vary from minor to severe. It could feel like squeezing, fullness, pressure, or heartburn. The pain can last for some minutes or come and go. Some people do not experience this symptom at all.
Heart attack pain can also affect other parts of the body. A person may feel pain and discomfort in the upper body, including the:
- Arms
- Shoulders
- Neck or jaw
- Back
- Stomach above the belly button
Other heart attack symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweats
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unusual level of fatigue
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
Symptoms of Heart Failure
One of the primary signs of heart failure is shortness of breath. When the heart does not pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body, fluid can accumulate in the lungs, making breathing more difficult.
The symptoms of the various forms of heart failure might also vary. The following are some other symptoms of left-sided heart failure:
- feelings of weakness or fatigue
- Wheezing or coughing
- Trouble concentrating
- Blue fingernails or lips
- Not being able to sleep while lying flat
- Swelling of the lower extremities, such as ankles, legs, or stomach
Besides shortness of breath, other symptoms of right-sided heart failure may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Unexplained weight gain
- Frequent urination
- Swelling in the lower extremities or abdomen
Biventricular heart failure patients may exhibit signs of both left-sided and right-sided heart failure.
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Treatment
Restoring blood flow to the damaged portion of the heart and avoiding further damage are the main goals of treatment for a heart attack.
On the other hand, heart failure treatment aims to control the factors that lead to this disorder, lessen cardiac strain, and stop the condition from worsening.
Treatment of a Heart Attack
Heart attacks require immediate medical attention. Early treatment can help prevent or mitigate serious damage to the heart muscle.
I. Medication
Various medications are available to treat a heart attack, including:
-
- Thrombolytic or clot-busting medications, which help dissolve blood clots
- Nitroglycerin, which can help open arteries and improve blood flow
- Blood thinners or anti-clotting drugs like aspirin, which help prevent blood clot formation
- Beta blockers or ACE inhibitors, which help lower blood pressure
- Statin, which helps lower cholesterol levels
- Pain-relieving medications
II. Medical Procedures
The patient may need further medical procedures to restore blood flow by removing or lessening the blockage. These include:
- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): PCI is a technique to open a blocked coronary artery and restore blood flow. The doctor may use a stent (a small wire mesh tube to keep the artery open) during this procedure.
- Coronary angioplasty: This medical technique involves the use of a balloon to open the artery and restore blood flow. The doctor may use a stent to keep the artery open.
- Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG): In CABG, doctors use a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body to bypass a blocked heart artery, thereby restoring proper blood flow. Doctors may perform this in cases of a severe heart attack.
III. Lifestyle Changes
Your physician will recommend several lifestyle modifications, such as changing your diet and engaging in regular exercise, to support heart health and prevent another heart attack.
Treatment of Heart Failure
Although there is no cure for heart failure, treatments aim to prolong a person’s life and reduce symptoms. The type of the condition a person has will determine the treatment, which may include the following.
Medication
Several medicines can help manage heart failure, which include:
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- Diuretics, which help the body eliminate excess sodium and water
- Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, which help the body get rid of extra sodium while keeping potassium
- Beta blockers or ACE inhibitors, which help lower blood pressure
- SGLT2 inhibitors, which help treat diabetes
- Angiotensin neprilysin inhibitors, which relax blood vessels and help the body clear extra fluid
Medical Devices
Treatment options for heart failure include a variety of implanted medical devices. Here are a few examples:
- Pacemakers, which help normalize heart rhythms
- Ventricular assist devices, which can help improve the blood-pumping efficiency of the ventricles
- Implanted cardioverter defibrillators, which monitor your heart rate and utilize tiny electrical signals to correct arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
Surgery
Congenital conditions, heart valve disorders, and clogged arteries may require surgery. Doctors may recommend a heart transplant in critical situations.
Lifestyle changes
Similar to a heart attack, your doctor will recommend lifestyle modifications to help strengthen your heart and stop heart failure from worsening.
Key Takeaways
Heart attacks and heart failure are two forms of heart disease. Heart attacks are caused by a lack of blood supply to the heart, whereas heart failure happens when the heart fails to pump blood efficiently throughout the body.
Both disorders affect the heart’s ability to pump blood, but they differ in their symptoms, causes, and treatments.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, and minimal stress can help people lower their risk of heart disease.
How Chughtai Lab Supports Your Heart Health
At Chughtai Lab, we believe prevention is just as important as treatment. That’s why we offer a wide range of heart health tests, including cholesterol profiles, blood sugar checks, cardiac enzyme tests, and advanced imaging. With accurate results, modern technology, and expert guidance, we make it easier for you and your doctor to detect risks early and monitor ongoing conditions.
Patients have access to essential tests at Chughtai Lab, including Fasting Lipid Profile, Lipoprotein A, Apo A, Apo B, HbA1c, Homocysteine, Blood glucose, Cardiac enzymes (AST, CKMB, LDH, Troponin I, Troponin T), Electrocardiogram (ECG), Echocardiography, Cardiac MRI, Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT), and Calcium CT Scoring. These services not only aid in early detection but also provide valuable insights for physicians to guide treatment and prevention strategies.
By combining accurate testing with a strong focus on patient education, Chughtai Lab empowers individuals to take charge of their cardiovascular health and reduce their risk of heart disease. Book your appointment by reaching out to us at Aap Ki Sehat Ka Number – 03-111-456-789 or visit your nearest Chughtai Lab.
References
- What is Heart Failure? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-failure. Last Updated: 24th March, 2022. Accessed: 30th September, 2025.
- Schulman, J.S. What’s the Difference Between a Heart Attack and Heart Failure? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/heart/heart-attack-vs-heart-failure. Published Online: 11th April, 2024. Accessed: 30th September, 2025.
- Rees, M. Heart attack vs. heart failure: What to know. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/heart-attack-vs-heart-failure#heart-attack-causes. Updated on: 22nd April, 2025. Accessed: 30th September, 2025.
- Gardner, A. Difference Between Heart Failure and Heart Attack. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/heart-attack-vs-heart-failure. Published Online: 28th March, 2025. Accessed: 30th September, 2025.
