A stroke and a heart attack are both serious medical emergencies caused by blocked blood flow, but they affect different parts of the body and have different symptoms.

Affected Organ
A heart attack affects the heart muscle.
A stroke affects the brain.

Cause
A heart attack is caused by a blockage in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.
A stroke is caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel that disrupts blood flow to the brain.

Symptoms
Heart attack symptoms include chest pain or pressure, pain in the arm, neck, jaw, or back, shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweat, and lightheadedness.
Stroke symptoms often start suddenly and include face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, confusion, trouble seeing, trouble walking, and severe headache.

Onset
Heart attack symptoms may build up slowly or appear suddenly.
Stroke symptoms usually happen very suddenly.

Risk Factors
Shared risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and a lack of physical activity.