Pushpa Latha asked:


What do you mean by a heart attack?

 Heart attack occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. A heart attack is a result of two processes-

One is the gradual and slow narrowing of the coronary arteries which supply the heart muscle with blood The second is a sudden and abrupt blockage of the artery due to the development of a blood clot in the narrow artery

The result is a sudden cut off in the nutrients and oxygen supply to the heart muscle causing damage and potential death of heart tissue. It is a medical emergency and leading cause of death in both men and women

 Risk Factors

Family history of heart attack Syncope Smoking High Cholesterol [Normal - 135 – 200mg/dl] Low HDL [Normal - > 30 mg/dl] High LDL [Normal - <130mg/dl] Diabetes High Blood Pressure Obesity Lack of exercises Stress Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) 

Signs and Symptoms

Chest pain, usually across the anterior chest, typically is described as tightness, pressure, or squeezing. Pain may radiate to the jaw, neck, arms, back, and epigastrium. The left arm is affected more frequently, however a patient may experience pain in both arms. Shortness of breath Nausea Vomiting Palpitations Sweating Anxiety Feeling of impending doom Fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness with or without syncope Elderly patients may present with only altered mental status  DOOM The most common symptoms of MI in women include shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue.

How is a heart attack diagnosed?

When there is severe chest pain, suspicion that a heart attack is occurring usually is high, and tests can be performed quickly that will confirm the heart attack

ECG-An electrocardiogram is a recording of the electrical activity of the heart  Echocardiography- reveals heart attack & the extent of the heart damage Blood tests- A series of blood tests for the enzymes performed over a 24 hour periodare useful to confirm the diagnosis of the heart attack and also changes in the valves and also correlates with the amount of heart muscle that has died Coronary angiography-  It is a diagnostic procedure in which a radio opaque contrast medium that can be seen using X-Ray imaging is injected through a flexible catheter which is passed along the artery in the groin or arm into the heart to explore & examine the heart blood vessels

How is a heart attack treated?

Supplemental oxygen to increase the supply of oxygen to the heart’s muscle & to reduce the workload of the heart Thrombolytic therapy- Thrombolytic therapy is a treatment used to break up dangerous clots inside the blood vessels. This helps restart blood flow to the heart and help prevent damage to the heart muscle. Thrombolytics can stop a heart attack that would otherwise be deadly. You have a better chance of surviving and recovering from a heart attack if you receive a thrombolytic drug within 12 hours after the heart attack starts. Ideally, you should receive thrombolytic medications within the first 90 minutes after arriving at the hospital for treatment.  Medications- To decrease the need for oxygen by the heart muscle and to relieve pain. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting ( CABG)

How Can a Heart Attack Be Prevented

Quit smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you don’t smoke, don’t start!)   Eat a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and sodium (salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Ask your doctor about how to start eating a healthy diet. Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Exercise. This sounds hard if you haven’t exercised for a while, but try to work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 4 times a week  Lose weight if you’re overweight, doctor can advise you about the best ways to lose weight.

 



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Jo Ann LeQuang asked:


mes people learn they might need a pacemaker and immediately assume that they are at very high risk for a heart attack. In fact, they may even think that they’re getting the pacemaker to protect them from the heart attack they sense is coming.

Pacemakers help regulate the electrical system of the heart. Pacemakers are typically prescribed to people who have arrhythmias or irregular cardiac rhythms.

Heart attacks, on the other hand, occur when the tiny vessels that feed the heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood get blocked and portions of the heart muscle are deprived of oxygen for a long time. Depending on how much muscle tissue is involved and how little oxygen gets through, the heart attack may range from mild to severe or even fatal.

A lot of people hear the word pacemaker and assume that they are at high risk for a heart attack. That is not necessarily the case at all. The two conditions, that is, arrhythmia and heart attack, are distinct and different.

A healthy heart should beat about once a second in a very carefully choreographed and complicated sequence of events involving upper and lower chambers and even split-second periods of rest within a single heartbeat. If those beats are out of sequence or too slow or too fast, the doctor diagnoses an arrhythmia.

Arrhythmias are tricky things since they are often intermittent, which is a term doctors like to throw around but which really means that the arrhythmia comes and goes on its own without any discernible reasons. Many people who need pacemakers have intermittent arrhythmias, meaning that their heart rhythm is out of whack some of the time, but not consistently.

That is why pacemakers operate in standby mode a lot of the time. In the medical device world, the function is called inhibition, but it is the same thing as standby. The pacemaker watches the heart and paces only if the heart needs pacing. As long as the heart is beating normally, the pacemaker simply observes and does nothing.

Most people who are told they need a pacemaker need the device for quality of life more than anything else. While some arrhythmias can be serious and even life threatening, many are somewhat harmless but they can cause symptoms. How do you know if you might have an arrhythmia? The most commonly reported symptoms include feeling dizzy, lightheaded, fainting or thinking you might faint, being tired, out of breath, or feeling exhausted for no apparent reason.

For many people, a pacemaker improves their feelings of well-being, gives them more energy, and gets rid of unpleasant symptoms.

If you need a pacemaker, it does not mean that you are necessarily at risk for other heart disease, a heart attack, or heart failure. On the other hand, this is no free pass.

If you need a pacemaker, that is a problem involving an arrhythmia. You should still continue to get checked for other signs of heart disease. It is perfectly possible to have more than one heart condition.

Getting a pacemaker is not a complicated procedure. It is sometimes done on an outpatient basis, but most of the time, a short stay in the hospital is in order. The operation itself typically takes about an hour (for a regular pacemaker with no particular complications) and recovery is about four to six weeks. However, you should talk to your doctor, since every person is unique which means that every medical case is unique, too.

Millions of people all over the world have pacemakers. They are generally credited with improving the lifestyle and quality of life of the people who have them. Pacemakers have been around for over half a century, working to help regulate irregular heart rhythms.

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Rob asked:


And why is there no symptoms ? If you have a massive heart attack or stroke do you feel any thing ?

If you over weight , not eating healthy , no exercise ,bad food , junk food and just gone to doctor to get test done on your heart can you still have a massive heart attack or stroke?

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Cultivated asked:


My mom recently died of a heart attack (Supposedly. We didn’t get an autopsy, so my dad assumed it was a heart attack)
I found her in a ton of her own vomit. When people die of a heart attack, do they usually vomit?

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Big Bone Bart asked:


I came out to my grandmother last Friday and brought 2 of my bfs with me to help tell her. She’s 82 and very religious and conservative. She started having chest pains after I told her and had shooting pains down through her arms. I called the ambulance and now she’s in the ICU. She apparenly had a heart attack.

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Gregory Camp asked:


10 Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack

A heart attack is referred to in the medical arena, as a myocardial infarction.  This coronary event follows after the heart muscle has been deprived of oxygen, due a blocked artery or arteries.  Many cardiac problems are related to partially blocked coronary arteries that nourish the heart muscle itself.  The formation and buildup of plaque in the internal walls of the arteries may make them more inelastic, and increasing the risk of total blockage and the resultant heart attack.

Very often, it is quite difficult to differentiate between a heart attack and heartburn.  Ignoring the signs of a heart attack increases the possibility of permanent heart-muscle damage, by the minute.

The common signs of a heart attack are a tightness, pain or discomfort in the chest.  Sweating, nausea and vomiting that are accompanied by intense pressure in the chest, as well as, a radiating and intense chest pain, that extends to the left arm are classic signs of heart attack.

Shortness-of-breath for more than a few minutes may also signal an imminent problem.  Pain may also manifest itself, almost anywhere above the waist, from the jaw and neck to the shoulders.

If you experience any of the above, seek immediate medical attention.  Do not write the discomfort off, to heartburn.

Remember, if you even think you are having a heart attack, you must call an ambulance, and place an aspirin under your tongue, unless you’re allergic.  Time is of the essence, as every minute increases the likelihood of permanent heart damage.  Today, it’s very likely that upon your arrival at the emergency department, the medical professionals will administer intravenous clot-busting medications, in an attempt to restore blood flow to the heart.  These medications have proven to be extremely effective, when administered as soon as possible, following the event.

Risk Factors

The risk factors, that may predispose you for the development of coronary artery disease and heart attack include:  smoking, diabetes, elevates cholesterol levels, hypertension, family history of heart disease, lack of exercise, obesity, and a high-fat diet regimen.

Reducing Risks

1. Quitting smoking - nicotine is vasoconstrictor, which narrows the arteries and elevates blood pressure. 2. Eating healthy - avoid fatty foods, excess salt and red meat, each of which, contributes to high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 3. Controlling high blood pressure - your blood pressure should be carefully and regularly monitored, as the pressure can easily be controlled with medication. 4. Cardiovascular exercise of 30 minutes duration, daily. Studies have shown that regular exercise of this duration has proven to have very positive effects on one’s health. 5. Preventing obesity - As obesity nears epidemic proportions in this country, it’s very important to maintain a body weight that is correct for your height and bone structure. 6. Choosing a healthy lifestyle - a personal wellness program encompasses a number of factors interacting together. 7. Practicing relaxation techniques - stress can take a terrible toll on your body. 8. Performing regular deep-breathing exercises - studies have shown that humans generally use only about 20 - 25% of their lung capacity. 9. Undergoing periodic cardiac evaluations. Since coronary artery disease remains the #1 killer of adults, and in 50% of those deaths, the initial symptom was sudden death, regular cardiac evaluations are a must. 10. Including anti-oxidant rich foods in your diet. Recent research suggests that ingesting foods rich in antioxidants has a positive effect on overall health.

A killer disease, according to the American Heart Association, approximately 58 million Americans suffer from heart disease.  Heart disease and death resulting from it can oft-times be prevented by reducing your risks, as outlined above.

Find a balance in life between work and leisure activities, abandon the couch for the outdoors, don’t watch sports on television, play sports instead, and you can increase your chances of living a long and healthy life.



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