A heart attack is the death of a segment of heart muscle caused by a loss of blood supply. The blood is usually cut off when an artery supplying the heart muscle is blocked by a blood clot.
If some of the heart muscle dies, a person experiences chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue.
This MNT Knowledge Center will cover information about how and why heart attacks occur, how they are treated, and how to prevent them.
Fast facts on heart attacks:
- During a heart attack, the heart muscle loses blood supply and is damaged.
- Chest discomfort and pain are common symptoms.
- The risk of a heart attack increases when a man is over 45 and a woman is over 55.
- Smoking and obesity are big factors, particularly in the at-risk age range.
Symptoms
Heart attacks are a serious form of heart disease, with many different causes.
There are clear symptoms of a heart attack that require immediate medical attention.
A feeling of pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching in the chest or arms that spread to the neck, jaw, or back can be a sign that a person is having a heart attack.
The following are other possible signs and symptoms of a heart attack occurring:
- coughing
- nausea
- vomiting
- crushing chest pain
- dizziness
- shortness of breath called dyspnea
- face seeming gray in color
- a feeling of terror that life is ending
- feeling awful, generally
- restlessness
- feeling clammy and sweaty
- shortness of breath
Changing position does not alleviate the pain of a heart attack. The pain a person feels is normally constant, although it may sometimes come and go.
Warning signs
As heart attacks can be fatal, it is vital to recognize the warning signs that an attack is occurring.
While the symptoms listed above are all linked to heart attacks, there are four warning signs listed by the American Heart Association (AHA) as being crucial signs of an attack. These include:
discomfort, pressure, squeezing, or fullness in the chest that lasts several minutes or resolves then returns
pain or discomfort in the arms, neck, back, stomach, or jaw
sudden shortness of breath
Other signs can include a cold sweat, a sick or nauseous feeling, or being lightheaded.
When a person has these symptoms, the emergency services should be called immediately.
Complications
There are two types of complications that can happen following a heart attack. The first occurs pretty much straight away and the second happens later on.
Immediate complications
Arrhythmias: the heart beats irregularly, either too fast or too slowly.
Cardiogenic shock: a person's blood pressure drops suddenly and the heart cannot supply enough blood for the body to work adequately.
Hypoxemia: levels of oxygen in the blood become too low.
Pulmonary edema: fluid accumulates in and around the lungs.
DVT or deep vein thrombosis: the deep veins of the legs and pelvis develop blood clots that either block or interrupt the flow of blood in the vein.
Myocardial rupture: the heart attack damages the wall of the heart, meaning an increased risk of a heart wall rupture.
A ventricular aneurysm: a heart chamber, known as a ventricle, forms a bulge.
Complications that can occur later
An aneurysm: scar tissue builds up on the damaged heart wall, leading to blood clots, low blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms.
Angina: not enough oxygen reaches the heart, causing chest pain.
Congestive heart failure: the heart can only beat very weakly, leaving a person feeling exhausted and breathless.
Edema: fluid accumulates in the ankles and legs, causing them to swell.
Loss of erectile function: erectile dysfunction is generally caused by a vascular problem. However, it can also be the result of depression.
Loss of libido: a loss of sexual drive can happen, especially in the case of men.
Pericarditis: the lining of the heart becomes inflamed, causing serious chest pain.
It is important that a doctor monitors a person for several months after they have had a heart attack to check for any of these complications that may occur.
#HeartCongress2018 #HeartConferences #CardiologyConferences #HeartHealth #HeartSurgery #MitralValve #NewInnovations
No comments:
Post a Comment