A heart attack is a serious cardiac event during which, blood
flow to the heart muscle is blocked, which is most commonly due to coronary
artery disease. It is coronary artery disease (CAD), also called
atherosclerosis that causes most heart attacks (myocardial infarction- MI).
Atherosclerosis is when gradual build-up of fatty streaks (plaque) form in the
coronary arteries that deliver oxygenated blood to the heart muscle which
narrows the arteries that stiffens over time. It becomes more difficult
for oxygenated blood to reach the heart muscle with narrowing of the arteries, sometimes
causing pain and discomfort known as angina. There may be formation of a blood
clot if a piece of plaque cracks, which can block a coronary artery thus
cutting off the blood supply to a part of the heart muscle leading to a heart
attack.
CAD Cause:
Our coronary arteries usually have smooth healthy walls when
we are young. As we grow old, the inner lining of our coronary arteries comes
under attack from risk factors like toxins from cigarette smoke, mechanical
injury from high blood pressure, high cholesterol or blood sugar from a diet
high in saturated fats and sugars, and lack of exercise which start a chain of
events that lead to the build-up of fatty streaks in our coronary arteries.
Risk
Factors of CAD:
There are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that are
known to increase our risk of CAD with some non-modifiable risk factors being
age, ethnicity, gender, personal or family history of heart attack or stroke.
Modifiable risk factors include smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood
pressure, obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and poor mental health
and wellbeing.
Recurrence
of Heart Attack:
You are at risk of having another one if you’ve already
experienced a heart attack. Many individuals do not recognize their next heart
attack as it may seem a bit different to the first one. If you think you may be
having a myocardial infarction and you’ve already had one:
1. Just stop
and take rest.
2. Take angina
medication. Even after that if the symptoms haven’t been relieved within 10
minutes or if the symptoms are severe and worsening, dial 911 and ask for an
ambulance. Take an aspirin if instructed and is available.
Preventing
Another Heart Attack:
Making a few healthy choices can lower your risk of having
another event. Some risk factors of CAD are within your power to change like
smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Making changes
to your risk factors can slow or stop the damage to your arteries and lower
your risk of having another life-threatening event. Quit smoking, take your medications
as prescribed, make heart healthy eating choices, exercise regularly and
maintain a healthy weight.
Heart
Attacks in Women:
Although heart attacks are often perceived to be a man's problem,
but women are as susceptible. The causes of MI in women is the same as it is in
men. Myocardial infarction symptoms in women may not be the crushing chest pain
as with men as they are more likely than men to experience a heart attack
without chest pain or discomfort. Being a woman, if you experience
any of these symptoms, you may be having a heart attack:
1. Heaviness,
tightness, pressure, discomfort/pain in chest, shoulder, jaw, arm, neck, upper
back, abdominal.
2. You may
also experience sweating, nausea, vomiting, or indigestion, shortness of
breath, dizziness, pain that comes and goes and unusual fatigue.
It’s important to remember that everyone experiences
different MI symptoms (not only male or female), symptoms of a subsequent MI may
be different from the first. The treatment for MI in women is the same as it is for
men.
No comments:
Post a Comment