Heart Attack 1h
Kizzy Burnworth
You might also feel weak, dizzy, or like you're going to pass out, and you could start sweating a lot. Sometimes, you'll also have mild pain in your jaw, neck, back, or arms. Plus, you may have trouble breathing.
When the plaque is hard, the outer shell cracks. This is called a rupture. Platelets (disc-shaped cells in your blood that help it clot) come to the area, and blood clots form around the plaque. If a blood clot blocks your artery, your heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen. The muscle cells soon die, causing permanent damage.
Each coronary artery sends blood to a different part of your heart muscle. How much the muscle is damaged depends on the size of the area that the blocked artery supplies and the amount of time between the attack and treatment.
Anomalous coronary arteries can also lead to a heart attack. This heart condition is one you have from birth, where the blood vessels that supply your heart are in unusual positions. Sometimes, these abnormal arteries can get squeezed or compressed, which can lead to a heart attack.
Coronary artery embolism also leads to heart attacks. This is where a blood clot travels through the bloodstream and becomes lodged in the coronary artery, the blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart. As a result, this clot interferes with the normal flow of blood through the affected artery leading to a heart attack.
A coronary spasm can also lead to a heart attack. This is a serious tightening of the coronary artery that happens without warning and blocks blood flow to the heart. The condition can arise even though there is no evident buildup of plaque in your arteries.
Sex and age. Your chances of having a heart attack rise as you age. Usually, heart attack odds for men and people assigned male at birth go up at age 45. For women and people assigned female at birth, it rises at 50 or when menopause begins.
Pregnancy. Heart attacks and pregnancy are also connected, although your chances are low. But they can happen both during pregnancy and after you give birth. Age, obesity, and other health conditions up your odds of having a heart attack.
After a heart attack, you need quick treatment to open the blocked artery and lessen the damage. At the first signs of a heart attack, call 911. How long do you have during a heart attack? The best time to treat a heart attack is within 1 or 2 hours after heart attack symptoms begin. Waiting longer means more damage to your heart and a lower chance of living longer.
An easy-to-use device called an AED (automated external defibrillator) is available in many public places and can be used by almost anyone to treat cardiac arrest. This device works by shocking the heart back into a normal rhythm.
EKG: Also known as an electrocardiogram or ECG, this is a simple test that records the electrical activity of the heart. It can tell how much your heart muscle has been damaged and where. It can also track your heart rate and rhythm.
A heart attack is a medical emergency that needs care right away to prevent permanent heart damage or death. Treatment often begins in the ambulance if you call 911, or in the emergency room if someone else takes you to the hospital.
Cardiac catheterization: In addition to making a picture of your arteries, cardiac catheterization can be used for procedures such as angiography or stent to open narrowed or blocked arteries.
Balloon angioplasty: This treatment can be done, if needed, during cardiac catheterization. A balloon-tipped catheter (thin, hollow tube) is inserted into the blocked artery in the heart. The balloon is inflated gently to press plaque outward against the walls of the artery, to open the artery and improve blood flow. Most of the time, this is not done without putting in a stent.
Bypass surgery: You might have bypass surgery in the days after a heart attack to restore the blood supply to your heart. Your surgeon will reroute blood flow around your blocked artery, usually using a blood vessel from your leg or chest. They can bypass multiple arteries.
Some people may need to be fitted with a pacemaker, a battery-powered device to help keep a steady heart rhythm. If you have a dangerous arrhythmia known as ventricular fibrillation, medical providers will give an electric shock to your chest.
After a heart attack, your goal is to keep your heart healthy and lower your chances of having another heart attack. Take your medications as directed, make healthy lifestyle changes, see your doctor for regular heart checkups, and consider a cardiac rehabilitation program.
To keep heart disease from getting worse and to avoid another heart attack, follow your doctor's advice. You might need to change your lifestyle. Here are some changes you can make that can lower your odds and put you on the path to a healthier life:
Stop smoking: Smoking dramatically raises your chances of both heart attacks and strokes. Talk to your doctor about how to quit. You'll also be doing your friends and family a favor because secondhand smoke can also lead to heart disease. You also can call the hotline 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) and visit the smokefree.gov website.
Keep a healthy body weight: If you're overweight or obese, you don't have to get thin to cut your odds of a heart attack or stroke, but your doctor may suggest some weight loss. If you lose 5%-10% of your weight, you'll improve your cholesterol numbers and lower your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Follow an exercise plan: Moderate physical activity lowers your chances of a heart attack. It also can lower your blood pressure and LDL or "bad" cholesterol, raise your HDL or "good" cholesterol, and help you stay at a healthy weight.
Aim for 30 minutes of exercise that gets your heart pumping at least 5 days a week. Brisk walking or swimming are some good choices. On the other 2 days, do strength training, such as lifting weights. If you've got a tight schedule, break your exercise routine into small chunks.
Eat heart-healthy food: Fill your plate with different kinds of fruits, veggies, beans, and lean meats, such as poultry without the skin. Also up your intake of whole grains (such as oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice) and fish, especially those with omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
Avocados, olive oil, and flaxseeds also have omega-3s, as do some nuts and seeds. Fat-free or low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese also are better choices for your heart health than higher-fat versions.
Cut back on unhealthy foods: Stay away from processed or prepared foods that often are high in salt and added sugar. They're also filled with preservatives. Avoid fatty beef, butter, fried foods, and palm oil. All are high in saturated fats.
Skip sugary drinks (such as sodas and fruit punch) and packaged baked goods (such as cookies, cakes, and pies), which can lead to weight gain. They are high in trans fats and can raise your cholesterol levels.
Limit alcohol: If you don't drink already, don't start. If you do drink, limit how much you drink. The recommendation is no more than one drink a day if you are a woman and no more than two a day if you are a man. Drinking raises your heart rate and blood pressure. It also raises the level of fat in your blood and can cause weight gain.
You may want to talk to a mental health professional or ask your doctor about a stress management program. You can also reduce stress with plenty of physical activity and mind-body practices, such as meditation.
Pay attention to your symptoms: Don't just hope they'll go away. See your doctor if you feel anything unusual, such as shortness of breath, changes in your heart rhythm, or extreme tiredness. Also, watch for pain in your jaw or back, nausea or vomiting, sweating, or flu-like symptoms.
If you've had a heart attack or have been diagnosed with heart disease, your doctor may suggest cardiac rehabilitation. You'll work with a team of experts to boost your health and avoid future problems.
Your team may include doctors and nurses, as well as specialists in exercise, nutrition, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health. They'll set up a program to fit your needs. They can also help you make changes in your daily life. If you stick with it, it can make a big difference in your recovery and overall well-being.
Make a doctor's appointment for 4 to 6 weeks after you leave the hospital after a heart attack. Your doctor will want to check your recovery. You might need an exercise stress test on a regular basis. These tests can help your doctor find or slow blockages in your coronary arteries and plan your treatment.
Feeling sick to your stomach, cold sweats, general discomfort in parts of the body such as your jaw, one or both arms and neck. You may also have trouble breathing, dizziness, pain in the chest, as well as a sensation of pressure, uneasiness, and fullness.
A minor heart attack, often caused by a partial blockage in a small coronary artery, typically results in limited damage to the heart muscle. These events are less serious than massive heart attacks and often have a better outlook for recovery.
A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. The blockage is usually due to a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances in the heart (coronary) arteries. The fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits are called plaques. The process of plaque buildup is called atherosclerosis.
Some heart attacks strike suddenly. But many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. Chest pain or pressure (angina) that keeps happening and doesn't go away with rest may be an early warning sign. Angina is caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart.
Aspirin can interact with other drugs. Don't take an aspirin unless your care provider or emergency medical personnel say to do so. Don't delay calling 911 to take an aspirin. Call for emergency help first.
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