Causes of Heart Attack

 

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Definition of a heart attack

A heart attack is a medical emergency when the blood going to the heart is blocked. Impaired blood flow to the heart can damage or even destroy the heart muscle and can even be fatal. Therefore, someone who has a heart attack must immediately be taken to a printed hospital to get the right treatment.

Causes of Heart Attack

A heart attack occurs when one or more coronary arteries become blocked. This causes the blood supply to the heart to be interrupted. In fact, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygenated blood. If the heart does not get an adequate supply of blood, the heart muscles will be damaged.

Generally, blockages in the coronary arteries are caused by accumulation of fatty deposits that form plaque. This condition makes the arteries narrow and is known as atherosclerosis. If not treated promptly, atherosclerosis can progress to coronary artery disease. This disease causes many people to have heart attacks.

There are several triggers that can put a person at risk for coronary artery disease which results in a heart attack. For example:

1. Having the habit of consuming alcoholic beverages.

2. Often eat foods that contain saturated fat.

3. Have chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes.

4. Experiencing obesity conditions.

5. Have a smoking habit.

6. Have a family history of heart attack.

7. Lack of exercise or physical activity.

8. Have a high level of stress.

9. Suffering from autoimmune disorders.

10. Have a history of preeclampsia.

Heart Attack Symptoms

A person who has a heart attack will experience several complaints in his body. Here are some of the symptoms that commonly occur during a heart attack:

1. Pain or discomfort in the chest. Most heart attacks cause discomfort in the center or left of the chest. Usually, this condition will last for a few minutes and then disappear. Discomfort includes pressure, pressure, or pain .

2. Other symptoms are fatigue, dizziness, and fainting. Before these symptoms occur, usually people with heart attacks will experience cold sweat.

3. Apart from the chest, pain and discomfort will also be felt in other parts of the body. For example, the jaw, neck, to the back.

4. Shortness of breath is another symptom that will accompany previous symptoms.

Things to note, these symptoms are not always experienced by people who have a heart attack. In some cases, there are people who have no symptoms at all, even to the point of experiencing a heart stop.

Heart stopping is caused by complications of a heart attack. In most cases, this condition occurs when the heart goes into convulsions causing seizures that will stop suddenly.

Diagnosis of Heart Attack

In addition to paying attention to the symptoms being experienced, there are several tests that need to be done to diagnose a heart attack:

1. ECG or EKG can be used to measure electrical activity, speed, and regular heart rate.

2. Echocardiogram is an examination performed with the help of ultrasound to create an image of the heart.

3. Chest x-rays are done to make a picture of the heart, lungs, and other organs in the chest.

4. Cardiac catheterization can also be done to check the part that has blockages in the arteries by inserting a thin and flexible tube.

5. A coronary angiogram is performed to check for blockages using X-rays to detect the dye injected through cardiac catheterization.

Heart Attack Treatment

There are several ways that doctors will do to treat or treat a heart attack. Example:

1. Operations and procedures for handling heart attacks.

2. Medicines used.

3. Recovery after a heart attack.

The length of recovery from a heart attack will be adjusted to the condition of the damage that occurs to the heart. Generally, people with heart attacks will recover after 2 weeks of treatment and medication. However, in some others it can take up to months.

Heart Attack Prevention

There are several efforts that can be done to prevent heart attacks, such as:

1. Healthy lifestyle changes to avoid diabetes and hypertension.

2. Choosing healthy foods .

3. Quit smoking.

4. Maintain blood pressure.

Heart Attack Complications

Heart attacks that are not treated promptly can cause complications, even death. Heart attack complications can include arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms, heart tears, and heart failure. This heart failure can make the heart not work effectively to pump blood around the body.

When to See a Doctor?

Immediately contact the nearest doctor or hospital if you feel the symptoms above. Proper handling can minimize the consequences, so that treatment can be done more quickly.

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