Can a heart attack and stroke happen together? Doctor explains

Heart attack and stroke are medical emergencies that are often spoken about in our society. Many understand that a heart attack happens when the blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked, and similarly, when the flow to the brain is interrupted, a stroke occurs. However, can they happen together? And how common is such a condition? Are strokes a result of a heart attack? Dr Ramesh Natarajan, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, KIMSHealth, Thiruvananthapuram, explains the possibilities and reasons.

The probability
According to Dr Ramesh, often, doubts arise on whether a heart attack is the reason for a stroke. "It happens very rarely," he explains. Dr Ramesh says, "In such cases, after a person suffers a heart attack, within an hour or two, they suffer from a sudden stroke as well. This is because after a heart attack, the cardiac muscles would not be functioning properly, and this results in a clot. When the clot enters the brain and results in a block, it causes a stroke in a patient." 

Heart attack - stroke connection
The doctor clarifies that not all cases of stroke follow a heart attack. "In the case of many patients, stroke happens without a preceding heart attack," says Dr Ramesh. He adds that, however, the risk factors for both heart attacks and strokes are the same - diabetes, blood pressure, high cholesterol, lifestyle changes, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol usage.