What distinguishes a heart attack from…

Biology Questions

What distinguishes a heart attack from heart failure? A. A heart attack results from poor blood flow, while heart failure involves a total interruption of blood flow. B. Both heart attack and heart failure result in heart tissue death, but more tissue dies as a result of heart failure. C. Heart tissue dies during a heart attack, while heart failure results in systemic oxygen deficiency. D. Heart failure results in body tissues receiving such a high level of oxygen that it becomes toxic.

Answer

The correct answer is C. During a heart attack, heart tissue dies from a blockage in blood flow, whereas heart failure leads to a systemic lack of oxygen. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, happens when blood flow to the heart becomes blocked for an extended time, resulting in tissue death due to insufficient oxygen. This blockage is often caused by a blood clot in a coronary artery narrowed by cholesterol-rich plaque. Conversely, heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart struggles to pump blood adequately to satisfy the body’s demands. It can result from various factors, such as prior heart attacks, high blood pressure, or cardiomyopathy. In heart failure, the heart’s reduced pumping ability leads to inadequate oxygen-rich blood for the body, resulting in symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath. Importantly, heart failure does not typically involve dead heart tissue but is marked by the heart’s inability to pump effectively, causing widespread oxygen deficiency and fluid retention. The other options are incorrect: Option A misunderstands heart failure as not involving total blood flow interruption but rather inefficiency in pumping. Option B falsely assumes more tissue death in heart failure, which is not accurate; it depicts two distinct conditions. Option D incorrectly claims excessive oxygen toxicity from heart failure, while the issue lies in inadequate oxygen distribution to the tissues.

Scroll to Top