A Heart Attack?
Also known as myocardial infarctions, and usually occurs when there is a blockage in the blood flow of the heart to fulfill the oxygen needs in the entire body. Every year a lot of people have heart attacks and this is a serious issue.
Heart Attack Symptoms:
- Pressure and heaviness in the chest
- Tightness or pain below the breastbone
- Discomfort in back, throat, or arm
- Indigestion or a choking feeling
- Sweating, vomiting, or dizziness
- Severe weakness
- Anxiety or fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Fast or uneven heartbeat
- Discomfort in the neck, shoulder, or upper back
These symptoms can be different in different individuals and from one heart attack to another. With some heart attacks, where there isn’t any symptom, it is known as a “silent” myocardial infarction.
Heart Attack Causes:
A normal heart requires a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. The coronary arteries provide a blood supply to the heart and in case there is any coronary artery disease that you possess, the arteries tend to narrow down, preventing the flow of blood. Thus, causing a blockage leading to a heart attack.
Various minerals like fats, calcium, proteins, etc. along with inflammatory cells pile up in your arteries and these deposits usually are like the coconut, hard from inside, softer from the inside. While this deposition is hard, it tends to crack the outer shell (rupturing). With this, platelets play their role and form blood clots around the plaque and it becomes permanent damage.
As there is a cutting off in the blood supply, it may happen that even while being in a rest position, there is a risk of having a critical coronary artery disease.
Thus, factors that increase the risk of coronary heart disease are:
- Smoking
- High-fat diet
- Diabetes
- Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Obesity
- Low activity levels
Certain other less common causes are:
- Reduction in the oxygen supply
- Loss of normal lung function
- Damage in the heart muscle
- Genetic Factors or Family History
Though the muscle starts to heal after a heart attack, it would take almost around 8 weeks. Later on, there is a scar that remains in the heart tissue which causes the heart to pump lesser blood than it did earlier. However, the ability of the scar depends on the size and location of the scar.
Conclusion:
Diagnosis and treatment could be done easily with the detection of symptoms. But, during recovery, there are chances of patients getting into depression which could obviously be solved with the help of counseling experts and support groups.
