Do you know what is a heart attack? Heart Attack is the interruption of blood supply to a section of the heart muscle, for a long enough time that section of the heart muscle is damaged or dead. It is also known as Myocardial Infarction in medical terms. The interruption of blood supply is commonly due to occlusion of coronary artery because of atherosclerosis, which is a collection of lipids and white cells in the wall of the artery. The occlusion results into ischemia and oxygen shortage to a section of heart muscle, if the ischemia is left untreated for a sufficient period, can cause death infraction of that section of heart muscle.
What Is A Heart Attack – Common Causes
The most common cause for the heart attack is Coronary Artery Disease , in which a waxy substance called plaque develops inside the coronary artery. When these plaques build up in the inside the wall of artery, the condition is called as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a gradual process in which plaques of cholesterol are deposited in the artery walls. And these plaques harden the artery wall and narrow down the inner channel of the artery. The narrowing of artery leads to reduced blood supply to heart muscles which causes chest pain. This condition is known as coronary heart disease. Severe stress can cause spasm of these atherosclerorotic arteries leading heart attack.
What Is A Heart Attack – Signs and Symptoms
The hallmark signs and symptoms of heart attack are chest pain which radiates to left arm, shortness of breath, profuse sweating and nausea. Chest pain can be described as a sensation of tightness, pressure or squeezing. This particular chest pain due to lack of blood supply to the heart muscle is termed as Angina Pectoris. Sometimes chest pain, along with left arm, it may also radiate to jaw, neck, right arm and epigastrium. The pain radiating to epigastrium mimics heart burn. The person starts feeling shortness of breath, when the heart’s blood pumping capacity decreases due to death of a section of cardiac muscle. The output of left ventricle becomes limited causing left ventricular failure consequently leading to pulmonary edema. Loss of consciousness and sudden death can occur in heart attack if not treated immediately.
What Is A Heart Attack – Factors
The heart attack rates are high with people who are associated with intense exertion, may it be psychological or physical exertion. In both men and women, heart attacks are leading cause of death worldwide. The incidence of heart attack is more in men aged above 45 years and women aged above 55 years. The important causes for heart attack are high blood pressure, high blood levels of LDL[low density lipoprotein] cholesterol, low blood levels of HDL [high density lipoprotein] cholesterol, tobacco smoking, family history of ischemic heart diseases and previous cardiovascular diseases. Other causes include high triglycerides, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, obesity, diabetes mellitus. Stress plays an important role in causing heart attack because people with high stress index are susceptible to atherosclerosis.
What Is A Heart Attack – Treatment
Many of the above mentioned risk factors are modifiable, so heart attacks can be prevented by maintaining healthy life style and by following healthy diet. Cessation of smoking, controlling blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, regular exercise are the lifelong changes to prevent the heart attack. It is important that for a person to know what is a heart attack and to prevent it.