What is a heart attack?
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when an artery supplying the heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system.
A constant supply of oxygen-rich blood through the coronary arteries is needed to give your heart this critical blood supply. Your arteries become narrow when you have coronary heart disease and blood can’t flow as well as it should. Deposits made up of fat and cells build up over time, forming plaque in your heart's arteries. When the plaque ruptures, it causes platelets and blood clots to form around it. You suffer a heart attack when your blood supply is blocked by a blood clot. Your heart does not get its oxygen if a blood clot blocks your artery and can lead to permanent damage.
A heart attack is best treated within 1 or 2 hours after symptoms begin. Waiting longer means more damage to your heart and a lower chance of survival.
What are the symptoms of a Heart Attack?
Warning signs of a heart attack include:
- Chest discomfort: Most people suffering from a heart attack feel discomfort in the center of the chest. It may last more than a few minutes or it may came and go. It may feel like a tightness, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort or pain in the body: This can include pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw and stomach
- Shortness of breath: This may happen with or without chest discomfort
- Feeling lightheaded or faint: This may involve feeling unusually tired or weak, especially when it interferes with daily activities.
- Nausea or vomiting
What are the risk factors of a Heart Attack?
Risk Factors for heart attacks include:
- Age: Men above the age of 45 and women above the age of 55 are at a higher risk of heart attack compared to younger men and women.
- Smoking: Smoking and long-term exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of getting a heart attack.
- High blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage arteries that lead to the heart. High blood pressure that occurs with other chronic conditions, such as obesity, high cholesterol, or diabetes, increases your risk of heart attack even more.
- High cholesterol: A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is most likely to block the arteries leading to the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack.
- Chronic conditions: Chronic conditions such as obesity anf diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of a heart attack.
- Family history: If a parent or sibling had an early heart attack, you might be at an increased risk.
- Lack of physical exercise: Living a sedentary lifestyle is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks.
- Unhealthy diet: A diet high in saturated fats, sugars, processed foods, and salt increases your risk of heart attacks.
How do you prevent a Heart Attack?
Here are some ways you can lower your risk of getting a heart attack:
- Follow a healthy lifestyle: Quit smoking, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight while eating a heart-healthy diet.
- Manage your chronic conditions: Certain health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes increases your risk of heart attacks. Follow the advice of your healthcare provider to manage these conditions.
- Take medication as prescribed: Your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to protect and improve your heart health.
How is a heart attack diagnosed?
Blood Test
A blood test will be done to organ function, and check cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a form of ultrasound which shows your heart's movement, structure, and function.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
An electrocardiogram records the electrical impulses traveling through the heart.
Imaging Test
Cardiac imaging tests are done with ultrasound or CT scan to check the size of your heart and if there is fluid build-up surrounding organs.
