A heart attack happens when the
blood flow to your heart is suddenly reduced or cut off. Your blood carries
oxygen to the heart. During a heart attack, your heart muscle doesn't get the
oxygen it needs. Without oxygen, the heart muscle can be damaged or destroyed.
Getting your blood flow restored
quickly is the key to recovery. Get medical help right away if you think you're
having symptoms of a heart attack.
Causes
of a Heart Attack
A buildup of cholesterol and a fatty
material called plaque in your artery walls usually causes a heart attack. The
buildup of plaque takes years.
Most heart attacks happen when
plaque breaks off your artery wall. A blood clot then forms around the
broken-off plaque, blocking the artery.
Heart
Attack Symptoms
Men and women have different
symptoms, but both may have pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest. Other
symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating, fainting, and nausea. You may
also have pain in the neck, jaw, or shoulders.
Men are more likely to break out in
a cold sweat and feel pain move down the left arm during a heart attack.
Symptoms
in Women
About 435,000 women have heart
attacks in the U.S. each year. The symptoms can be so mild they are often
dismissed as something minor.
Women are more likely than men to
have back or neck pain, heartburn, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.
They may also feel extremely tired, light-headed, or dizzy. Flu-like symptoms
and sleep problems may also occur 2 weeks before a heart attack
What
to Do
If you or someone you're with has
symptoms that might be a heart attack, call 911 right away. You're more likely
to survive if you get treated within 90 minutes.
While you're calling 911, the person
with heart attack symptoms should chew and swallow an aspirin to lower the risk
of a blood clot (unless they're allergic). If the person is unconscious,
hands-only CPR can double his chances of survival.
Diagnosis
of a Heart Attack
An EKG, which checks your heart's
electrical activity, can help doctors see if you're having a heart attack. It
can also show which artery is clogged.
Doctors can also diagnose a heart
attack with blood tests that measure the proteins that are released when heart
muscle cells die.
Heart
Attack Treatment
Doctors will move quickly to restore
the flow of blood to your heart. You may get drugs that dissolve blood clots in
your arteries.
You'll likely get a procedure called
a coronary angiogram. Doctors put a thin tube with a balloon on the end through
your artery. It opens up the blockage by flattening the plaque in your
arteries. Most times doctors place a small, mesh tube called a stent in your
artery to make sure it stays open.
Risks
for Heart Attack
Your odds of having a heart attack
go up with age, and men have a greater risk than women. A family history of
heart disease also increases your risk.
Smoking can raise your risk of a
heart attack. So can having high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels,
diabetes, and being obese. Other things that can raise your risk of a heart
attack are a lack of exercise, depression, and stress.
Prevent
a Heart Attack
If you smoke, stop. It will
immediately cut your chances of a heart attack by a third.
Get exercise and eat right. The
American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
exercise per week. Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains to keep your
arteries healthy.
Taking a daily aspirin helps some
people prevent a heart attack. Talk to your doctor to see if it's right for
you.
Find positive ways to manage stress.
Life
After a Heart Attack
If you're in the hospital for a
heart attack, you may come home in just a few days. You can resume your normal
activities after a few weeks.
Cardiac rehab can help you recover.
You'll get a fitness program that's made just for you, and learn how to keep up
a heart-healthy lifestyle. Counselors give you support if you're depressed or
worried about getting a second heart attack.
Source: Web MD
Comments
Post a Comment