Q. What is the difference between myocardial infarction and brain tumor?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Myocardial infarction (also known as a heart attack) is the death of some or all of the cells in part of the heart muscle due to a lack of blood supply. This usually occurs when one or more coronary arteries become clogged with fat, cholesterol and other substances that form plaque on their walls, reducing or blocking blood flow to parts of the heart muscle. Signs and symptoms include chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, diaphoresis (sweating), fatigue and palpitations (irregular heartbeat). Treatment consists primarily of medication and some lifestyle changes.
Brain tumors are abnormal growths in the brain caused by an overproduction of certain types of cells such as glioma cells. They vary in size and can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Symptoms depend on tumor location; they may include headaches, blurred vision, confusion, seizures, behavioral changes and/or paralysis on one side. Treatment typically entails surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy; however most cases require some combination thereof.