You probably hear about heart disease and stroke all the time from doctors, in commercials and even in conversation, especially as you age. People talk about these diseases as a pair so often that sometimes they hardly seem like different things. It makes sense that they come up so often. These conditions are the leading cause of death in the United States, making up almost a quarter of annual deaths and they affect a high proportion of adults. The problem is that even though “heart disease and stroke” seems to come up as a side effect for almost anything health-related, no one really talks about what heart disease and stroke actually mean or how they are connected.

Hearing about common diseases that result from the average American’s lifestyle without really going into specifics can feel like an overwhelming unknown, especially since there are many types of heart disease and strokes, each with several symptoms and related conditions. Luckily, getting the answers to a few common questions and tying all the information together in one place makes it easy to gain a clear understanding of these diseases, how they are connected, and how you can reduce your risk of developing them.

What Are Heart Disease and Stroke?

Heart diseases are unsurprisingly conditions affecting your heart. They are often the result of a blot clot blocking blood flow to the heart. When you have a buildup of plaque blocking your arteries, you can get atherosclerosis, which is the most common cause of heart disease. Plaque buildup is more likely when you have a poor diet or lack of exercise. When the arteries are blocked, the blood can’t travel as freely. If it’s too hard for blood to circulate to the heart, it can form a clot and completely block an artery leading to the heart.

Another common heart disease is arrhythmia. This condition involves a fast, slow or irregular heartbeat. It’s similar to the effects of drinking too much caffeine, and excessive caffeine consumption can increase your chances of arrhythmia.

Related conditions to heart disease include heart attack and cardiac arrest, strokes and aneurysms, which are bulges in artery walls that can lead to internal bleeding.

Stroke is similar to heart disease, but instead of the blood clot cutting off oxygen to your heart, it blocks your brain. This type of stroke, the ischemic stroke, is the most common. Intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage are also types of stroke, both of which are caused by the rupture of an artery. Strokes can lead to altered neurological function such as paralysis, memory loss, trouble speaking or even shifts in your behavior and personality.

How Are Heart Disease and Stroke Connected?

One of the main links between heart disease and stroke is their common causes. Since both are caused by clogged arteries, factors leading to high blood pressure or plaque buildup increase the risk of both heart attack and stroke. Having one of these conditions also increases your risk of getting the other due to factors such as traveling clots caused by complete artery blockages.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may still have a few questions about what exactly heart disease and stroke entail, and what you can do to prevent them. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about these conditions.

Q: What are some major risk factors of heart disease and stroke?

A: Poor diet, lack of exercise, and high blood pressure can all increase the likelihood of blocked arteries. If you struggle with your weight, are diabetic, smoke or drink heavily, you're more likely to develop these conditions. If heart disease and stroke are common in your family, you’re older or you’re male, you are also at increased risk.

Q: How can I reduce my risk of heart disease and stroke?

A: Eating a balanced diet, getting a few hours of exercise every week, and managing your blood pressure and cholesterol as much as possible help reduce the risk. Frequent check-ups with your doctor will also help you catch warning signs early.

Q: What are some warning signs and symptoms of heart disease?

A: Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting and numb or painful arms and legs could all be early warning signs.

Q: What are some warning signs and symptoms of stroke?

A: Weakness or loss of feeling, especially in just one half of your body, is a common symptom. Other signs include difficulty speaking, confusion, dizziness and trouble seeing.