When the heart muscle is deprived off oxygenated blood either partially or fully the person gets an attack. Without oxygen the heart muscle cannot survive. This can occur when plaque like fat particles get deposited in the coronary arteries of the heart muscle which gradually becomes narrow. In some cases blood clot gets separated from the plaque like substance traveling to the heart major heart muscle thus blocking the blood flow. This process is known as ischemia and if death of heart muscle occurs due to this process it is known as heart attack.
Chest pain .Vs. Heart attack :
Not all the chest pain is heart attack. Chest pain can occur due to many reasons including gastric problem, increased blood pressure and heightened emotions. Angina is the medical term for the slight discomfort occurring in the heart muscle which lasts only for few minutes. Chest pain due to heart attack would not stop but it progresses rapidly causing more complications like shortness of breath, profuse sweating and pain would spread in the left shoulder and your back.
Statistics :
For every 43 seconds one person in the USA gets heart attack. Around 6 million die because of heart attack and related heart diseases. Each year 7.5 million people of America get a heart attack and out of these 5.25 million gets first attack and others it is the second heart attack.
Warning Signs Of Heart Attack :
In spite of repeated attempts for creating awareness on heart attack, only 27 out of 100 people surveyed know about all major symptoms and others are not. Cardiac deaths can considerably be prevented if the people act promptly on getting warning signs. It is reported about 48% of deaths due to heart attack occur outside the hospital.
Import warning signals of heart attack are :
- Persistent chest pain or discomfort
- Pain in the neck, arms, jaw and back region
- Shortness of breath
- Profuse sweating, nausea or feeling dizzy
Who Are At High Risk Of Getting A Heart Attack? :
Anyone can get an attack irrespective of race, religion and sex. But certain medical conditions like obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity and overuse of alcohol are prone to get a heart attack.
Difference Between Cardiac Arrest And Heart Attack :
As many people think, cardiac arrest is not the same as heart attack. Heart attack happens due to reduced/blocked blood flow to the major heart muscle. Here damage occurs to the heart muscle. Cardiac arrest occurs when there are abnormal electrical signals in the heart causing irregular rhythms in the heart (arrhythmias) leading to sudden cardiac death. Here the heart stops working all of a sudden causing death. Lower chamber of the heart (ventricles) starts producing abnormal beats not pumping enough blood to the heart. In this case, death occurs within seconds or few minutes. Immediate CPR therapy can save the life of the person restoring the normal rhythm of the heart.
Definition :
Heart attack can be defined as partial/complete death of heart muscles due to sudden blockage/reduced blood flow. Coronary arteries get blocked with blood clot thus cutting off the blood supply to the heart. Heart muscles are damaged due to reduced blood flow causing chest pain and other symptoms. In most of the cases death of heart muscle can be prevented if blood flow is restored within 30 to 40 minutes. Often blood flow is blocked due to cholesterol or fat deposits which grow bigger in size gradually forming plaque inside the arteries. In medical terms, heart attack is known as Myocardial Infarction.
Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack :
- Heart attack begins with tightness in the chest region and pain. Intensity of pain can vary from mild to severe.
- Many people have described the feeling as squeezing sensation in the chest. Slowly the pain spreads to the neck, jaw and left shoulder, arm, and back.
- Heart attack can cause physiological changes like nausea, heartburn, sweating, shortness of breath and abdominal pain.
- Do not ignore the symptoms if you get chest pain along with sudden jaw pain or toothache.
- If a person gets a heart attack, symptoms will not subside but spreads to other parts like neck, shoulder, arm and back. Early diagnosis can save thousands of lives each day.
- Unfortunately heart attack can occur without any symptoms (asymptomatic). Delay in reaching the hospital can become fatal for many people.
- Asymptomatic attacks are common in women when compared with men. They often misunderstand the signs for fatigue or indigestion and do not seek prompt medical help.
What Should You Do If You Doubt An Attack?
- First and foremost seek emergency medical help. Find someone to drive you to hospital.
- Take aspirin before getting ready for hospital.
Heart Attack Causes :
Narrowing of coronary arteries and formation of blood clot in the major blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart is the medical cause for a heart attack. Cholesterol can build up inside the arteries thus blocking the normal blood flow partially/completely.