Heart attacks have been increasingly common among people worldwide in the past few years. Regretfully, they are the world’s largest cause of death. They are the outcome of our unhealthy eating patterns and stressful lifestyles.
Eat a balanced diet and minimize stress to protect your cardiovascular health by improving your lifestyle.
It’s also critical to recognize the heart failure symptoms, which typically start one month prior to the heart failing:
1. A shortage of oxygen
Your heart cannot pump enough blood for proper operation if your lungs aren’t receiving enough oxygen. As a result, consult your doctor as soon as possible if you’re having breathing difficulties.
2. The flu and cold symptoms
Those who are on the verge of a heart attack frequently exhibit these two signs.
3. Chest pressure
This is a warning indication that a heart attack is about to occur. See your doctor as soon as possible if you are experiencing chest pain.
4. Inadequacy
Blood flow is impeded as arteries constrict. Heart failure may develop from the muscles not receiving the necessary nutrition as a result. You should therefore consult a doctor if you feel weak and exhausted all the time.
5. Lightheadedness and chills
Appropriate blood flow to the brain is blocked by poor circulation, which is essential for healthy brain function.
6. Exhaustion
You may have an issue with blood flow to your heart if, even after resting or sleeping for a few days, you’re still tired and groggy.
Preventing heart attacks is essential; identifying and treating the aforementioned symptoms at an early stage will significantly lower the chance of experiencing one.
A heart attack occurs when the heart’s blood supply is cut off. Plaque, or the accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in the arteries supplying the heart, is the most frequent cause of blockage (coronary arteries).
Blood flow can be obstructed by a broken plaque that forms a clot. If blood flow is disturbed, the heart muscle may suffer partial or complete destruction.
Despite the potential for fatality, treatment for heart attacks, also known as myocardial infarctions, has significantly improved over time. Call 911 or seek emergency medical attention as soon as you believe you are having a heart attack.
Signs and symptoms
Some of the most typical indications and symptoms of a heart attack include the following:
You might have pain, pressure, tightness, or a squeezing or aching feeling in your arms or chest, which could spread to your neck, jaw, or back.
A stomach bug can cause nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or abdominal pain.
breathing issues
I’m starting to perspire profusely.
Weary
Abrupt lightheadedness or dizziness
Heart attack symptoms and indicators vary.
Not every person who suffers a heart attack has the same set of symptoms or intensity of symptoms. While some people just feel mild discomfort, others suffer through excruciating pain. Some people don’t exhibit any symptoms at all. For some, however, sudden cardiac arrest could be the initial sign. The likelihood that you will have a heart attack increases with the amount of symptoms and indicators that you encounter.
While some people experience heart attacks without warning, many others experience warning signs and symptoms hours, days, or even weeks in advance. The first symptom could be recurrent chest pressure or pain (angina) that is made better by rest and made worse by exertion. Angina is a condition in which there is a temporary decrease in heart blood flow.
When ought one to visit a physician?
Act immediately. Some individuals wait excessively long because they are unaware of the most important signs and symptoms. Take these actions:
Press 911 to get medical help right now. If you believe you are having a heart attack, act quickly. Dial your local emergency number or 911 as soon as possible. If you do not have access to emergency medical treatment, arrange for a ride to the closest hospital by car.
Drive by yourself only if you have nowhere else to go. You run the danger of aggravating your disease while you drive, which also puts others at risk.
Take the nitroglycerin that your doctor has prescribed if it is. Follow the instructions while you wait for assistance.
Take aspirin if it is prescribed. By inhibiting blood clotting during a heart attack, aspirin may help reduce cardiac damage.
Aspirin can, however, conflict with other drugs, so take it only as directed by your physician or emergency medical personnel. If you feel you need to take an aspirin, call 911 immediately. To get started, call 911 for emergency assistance.
If you believe someone is experiencing a heart attack, what should you do?
Dial 911 right away if you come across someone who is unconscious and you think they may be having a heart attack. Verify if the person is breathing and has a pulse. CPR should only be administered if the victim is not breathing or cannot be found to have a pulse.
Firmly and quickly apply pressure to the person’s chest in a quick rhythm of between 100 and 120 compressions per minute.
If you are not trained in CPR, doctors recommend that you only perform chest compressions. You can proceed to opening the airway and provide rescue breathing if you’ve had CPR training.
Reasons
A heart attack happens when one or more of your coronary arteries become clogged. When fatty deposits, such as cholesterol, accumulate over time and restrict the arteries, plaques are created (atherosclerosis). Heart attacks are most frequently caused by coronary artery disease.
During a heart attack, a plaque may crack, releasing cholesterol and other substances into the circulation. A thrombus forms at the rupture site. Should the clot be sufficiently large, it may impede blood flow via the coronary artery, depriving the heart of oxygen and nutrients (ischemia).
There could be a whole or partial blockage of the coronary artery.
If you have a complete blockage, you have had an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
If you have a partial blockage, you have had a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).
Your diagnosis and course of therapy may vary depending on the type you’ve had.
Another reason for a heart attack is a coronary artery spasm, which stops blood flow to a section of the heart muscle. Use of illegal substances like cocaine and tobacco might cause a potentially fatal spasm.
A COVID-19 infection may also damage your heart and cause a heart attack.
variables that are vulnerable
Numerous factors contribute to atherosclerosis, the unwanted accumulation of fatty deposits that narrows arteries all over your body. To reduce your risk of experiencing a heart attack for the first or second time, you can modify or eliminate a number of these risk factors.
Some of the elements that raise your risk of having a heart attack include the following:
Years old. Heart attacks are more common in men and women over 45 and 55 than in younger people.
tobacco. Both long-term secondhand smoke exposure and smoking are included in this.
Overly elevated blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can cause damage to the arteries leading to your heart. Your risk is increased when high blood pressure coexists with other medical conditions including diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol.
elevated blood triglyceride or cholesterol levels. The most prevalent cause of arterial narrowing is elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol. An elevated level of triglycerides, a blood fat associated with diet, also increases the risk of a heart attack. Conversely, having high levels of “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), may lower your risk.
Being overweight. Obesity is linked to high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. Just 10% of your body weight loss will lower your risk.
Diabetes. When the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, is not produced in sufficient amounts or is not properly absorbed by the body, blood sugar levels rise and the risk of a heart attack increases.
A disorder called metabolic syndrome causes disturbances in the body’s metabolism. This syndrome is exacerbated by obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar levels. Heart disease is twice as likely to strike someone with metabolic syndrome as it does not.
Heart attacks are inherited. If your parents, grandparents, or siblings had heart attacks when they were young (by age 65 for women and 55 for males), you might be more vulnerable.
inadequate exercise. Inactivity is associated with both obesity and elevated blood cholesterol levels. People who regularly exercise have healthier hearts and lower blood pressure.
Tension. You may react in ways that raise your chance of having a heart attack when you are under stress.
usage of illicit substances. A heart attack can result from a coronary artery spasm caused by stimulant stimulants like cocaine or amphetamines.
Preeclampsia is a condition that a woman may have throughout her pregnancy. This condition increases the risk of heart disease all throughout a person’s life and boosts blood pressure during pregnancy.
an autoimmune condition. A medical condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can increase your risk of a heart attack.
Difficulties
The damage your heart sustains after a heart attack is often associated with complications, which can lead to:
irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. There may be electrical “short circuits” that result in abnormal cardiac rhythms, some of which are lethal.
Heart failure is a dangerous illness. Your heart may sustain enough damage after a heart attack to prevent the remaining heart muscle from adequately pumping blood out of your body. Heart damage that is significant and irreversible might result in either a short-term or long-term condition known as heart failure.
Heart arrest happens unexpectedly. An electrical disturbance causes an irregular heartbeat, which might result in an abrupt cardiac stoppage (arrhythmia). Heart attacks increase the chance of sudden cardiac arrest, which, if left untreated, can be fatal.
It’s never too late to take preventative measures to avoid having another heart attack, even if one has already occurred. You can take a few precautions to stay away from a heart attack.
Drugs. Medication can improve the function of your injured heart and reduce your chance of having another heart attack. As prescribed by your physician, keep taking your medication, and find out how frequently you should be checked.
elements pertaining to a person’s lifestyle Remaining at a healthy weight while following a heart-healthy diet, giving up smoking, getting regular exercise, minimizing stress, and managing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all recommended.
