Jun 15, 2010 By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A. associate Professor Of Family Medicine Ohio University College Of Osteopathic Medicine 3 min read

Question: My husband’s doctor told him he might have a “brain attack” if he doesn’t control his high blood pressure and diabetes. What is a “brain attack”? I have never heard of this, and I am 75-year-old former nurse. Answer: A “brain attack” is a new and increasingly popular term for a stroke, and it’s catching on among physicians and the general public.

The idea is that, since everyone seems to respond to the term “heart attack,” people might pay more attention to the risk of stroke if it had a similar name. After all, the two disease processes are quite similar, as you know from your nursing days.

In a heart attack, the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle either rupture or become blocked.

In a brain attack, the arteries servicing the brain rupture or become blocked. Once these critical arteries fail, the heart or brain is deprived of blood, and therefore, oxygen. Without oxygen, heart and brain cells both begin to die.

Strokes are the leading cause of disability in adults, and they kill more than 150,000 people in the U.S. each year.

Risk factors for both strokes and heart attacks include high blood pressure and diabetes, as you mentioned, plus smoking, elevated cholesterol and heart trouble.

Although the causes of strokes and heart attacks are similar, the symptoms differ widely. Heart attacks cause shortness of breath and pressure, squeezing or pain in the chest and upper body. A brain attack or stroke, on the other hand, usually causes sudden, partial paralysis and/or an inability to walk, talk, eat or swallow.

One common warning sign of a brain attack is a transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke.” These come on with the same symptoms as a full stroke, but last short periods of time. Other stroke warning signs include difficulty speaking or understanding speech, problems walking, severe visual disturbances – often in one eye, and sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the face or in limbs on one side of the body.

Any of these symptoms should be viewed as medical emergencies, even if they fade away within hours or even minutes. Immediate treatment can prevent a full stroke – and potentially, death or permanent loss of function.

One possible problem with the terms “heart attack” and “brain attack,” is that while the phrases sound serious and familiar, they somewhat obscure the source of the problem. There is no “attack” on the heart or brain, and neither do these organs “attack” the body. Instead, as I described above, the problem occurs within the arteries, or the vascular system.

Perhaps the bigger issue here is that many people do not understand terms related to the vascular system, such as atherosclerosis – the leading cause of both strokes and heart attacks.

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of dense, fatty plaque in the arteries. Avoiding this condition, through a healthy diet, exercise and regular doctor visits, will help you prevent both heart and brain attacks.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. General medical questions can be sent to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Communication Office, Athens, Ohio 45701, or can be e-mailed to familymedicine@oucom.ohiou.edu. Please do not send letters asking Dr. Simpson to diagnose a condition or suggest a treatment plan. Medical information in Family Medicine® is provided as an educational service only and does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for your medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.