Are You Having A Heart Attack?

symptoms of a heart attack

Heart attacks come in all sizes, from minor to major, and the symptoms of a pending heart attack can be deceiving in many cases. Some symptoms of a pending heart attack may have been showing up for quite awhile and were ignored as something else.

A heart attack [or Myocardial Infarction (MI)] occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Often, this blockage leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat or rhythm) that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, the affected heart muscle will die and be replaced by scar tissue.

Heart attack won’t occur suddenly with out any symptoms. It has several symptoms from which we could easily note that it’s a heart attack. We consider it as a heart attack immediately that person requires medical assistance with in one hour.

Early heart attack symptoms are:

1. Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or painful sensation in the chest lasting more than a few minutes. Please note that the painfulness may go away temporary but will go back evenly as dreadful if not more painful.

2. The pain often spreads to the shoulders, neck, jaw or arms.

3. People suffering from a heart attack will feel both chest discomfort and light headedness which often lead to fainting.

4. Sweating, nausea and vomiting are common.

5. Shortness of breath. This symptom also helps us to identify heart problems. When breathing becomes difficult and suddenly lungs starts to pain it’s said to be heart attack. That individual needs some inhalation first aid immediately.

6. Apprehension, anxiousness and despondence.

What causes a heart attack?

1. Heredity - If the family has a history of heart disease; you are prone to get a heart attack.

2. Stress - Stress and heart attacks are correlated. Interpersonal relationships and financial worries may cause stress leading to heart attacks.

3. Smoking - Research has proved that heavy cigarette smokers have a 50 to 150% higher heart risk than nonsmokers.

4. Lack of physical exercise - Those who prefer sedentary lifestyles are also prone to heart attacks.

5. Obesity - Obesity is the root cause for heart attacks even among children these days.

6. Diet - If you consume a high cholesterol diet you will be more prone to heart attacks.

Relaxation techniques should also be followed to rule out stress that may trigger a heart attack. You can also know about heart attack symptoms, tips for a healthy heart etc by going through health sites available online. It is always better to prevent heart attacks than cure them. People having symptoms must have a low cholesterol and well-balanced diet. Regular exercise and stress management techniques also hold the key to reducing the incidence of heart attack.

See Also : Health Insurance HMO

Executive summary by Doel

Based on article Tom Chuong.