What is a heart Attack?
A Sudden block of the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle and the heart can't get oxygen.Without oxygen, its cells can be damaged or die.
Causes
Cholesterol can build up on the walls inside blood vessels (arteries) that take blood to your heart. This makes it harder for blood to flow freely. Most heart attacks happen when a piece of this plaque breaks off.A blood clot forms around the broken-off plaque, and it blocks the artery.
Symptoms
Men and women can have different symptoms.
Common Symptoms
- Pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or back
- Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweat
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
Diagnosis
An EKG / ECG, which checks heart's electrical activity, help to diagnose aheart attack. It can also show which artery is clogged or blocked.
A heart attack can also dignosed with blood tests that look for proteins that heart cells release when they die.
Treatments
- Anticoagulant medications to prevent growth of blood clots in the arteries
- Antiplatelet medications to prevent formation of blood clots in the arteries
- Cardiac surgery
- Clot-dissolving medications to open blocked arteries
- Coronary angiography with either percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with or without stenting to open blocked coronary arteries
- Medications to decrease the need for oxygen by the heart's muscle
- Medications to prevent abnormal heart rhythms
- Supplemental oxygen to increase the supply of oxygen to the heart's muscle
Prevention
- Don't Smoke
- Get exercise
- Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains
- Manage your stress
- Manage your blood sugar level
