Heart attack
A heart attack, also known as a heart attack or heartbeat, forms when the blood supply to the heart is interrupted by a blockage (vascular plug) in the coronary arteries. The heart can no longer be sufficiently supplied with oxygen and nutrient-containing blood. The result: there is a partial death of heart muscle tissue. Typical for an infarction are unbearably severe chest pain.
What is a heart attack?
The heart attack is also referred to as myocardial infarction (myocardial = heart muscle, infarction = death). The heart is a muscle that supplies the body with blood through its constant pumping. The heart muscle itself also needs blood for its work, with which it is supplied via the coronary arteries.
In a heart attack, the blocked vessels are no longer able to provide the heart with the sufficient amount of blood and thus the required amount of oxygen – there is an irreversible (irreversible) destruction of heart tissue, in the worst case to sudden cardiac death.
Every year, a large number of patients suffer a heart attack. The heart attack is counted among the so-called civilization diseases, since risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, can favor the development of an infarction. In addition to a variety of other diseases, there are congenital or acquired heart defects and diseases of the lungs.
Causes
A heart attack is usually formed by coronary heart disease, rarely a heart attack can also be caused by vascular inflammation or an embolism.
Before the heart attack, deposits form in the arteries, which lead to a narrowing of the spinal cord and thus to poorer blood circulation.
In the case of a heart attack, blood clots can form on the deposits if they have cracks. The deposits further narrow the vessel and eventually close it completely, leading to a heart attack.
The risk of a heart attack due to hardening of the arteries depends on various factors. An unhealthy lifestyle with a high-fat diet, obesity and lack of exercise are considered favorable for a heart attack.
High blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking also increase the risk of a heart attack. Another risk factor is age, because the calcification that leads to a heart attack increases with age. In addition, the risk of suffering a heart attack is higher in men than in women.
When to see a doctor?
A heart attack is, of course, a clinical picture that should definitely always be treated by a doctor. Anyone who refrains from a visit or treatment by a doctor in the event of a heart attack exposes himself to a very great danger. In the run-up, a heart attack is already in the offing with stabbing pain in the chest area. Already with this symptom, an appropriate doctor should be consulted immediately. Through prompt treatment, the exact cause of a heart attack can be determined and combated.
Anyone who refrains from treatment by a doctor at this point exposes himself to acute danger to life. Almost 30% of all heart attacks are fatal or leave permanent damage to the affected person. For this reason, it is of great importance to have a heart attack treated accordingly. Consequential damage can only be avoided through effective and fast treatment. By taking appropriate medication, the likelihood of a heart attack can also be immensely reduced. The subsequent treatment, in the case of a heart attack that has already been suffered, is also of great importance.
Symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of heart attack:
- Shortness of breath (shortness of breath)
When the first symptoms of a heart attack appear, an ambulance should be called as soon as possible. Typical symptoms are Chest Pains that occur suddenly and cause severe, pressing or sometimes even burning pain in the area of the front left chest.
The pain radiates into the left arm and can even occur in the back, jaw and upper abdomen. In this context, there is a feeling of anxiety, Fear and constriction.
Severe dizziness , severe shortness of Breath and loss of consciousness are other symptoms of a heart attack. About every second to third heart attack occurs suddenly without causing pain beforehand. There can also be so-called silent heart attacks that are painless.
Symptoms are different in women than in men. There is less chest pain than Fatigue , shortness of breath and sleep disorders to register. The greatest danger to the patient’s life is the dreaded Ventricular fibrillation and so-called extrasystoles. These cardiac arrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac death before the patient even receives treatment.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a heart attack results from the medical history of the patient as well as from the existing typical symptoms. To ECG (electrocardiogram), in which the electrical activities of the heart muscle are recorded, provides further information . The curves can be used to determine whether a heart attack has taken place, whether it happened a long time ago or is recent. However, it can happen that a normal ECG is still displayed during the first few hours despite a heart attack. It is therefore necessary to secure the diagnosis with further measures.
A blood test can detect so-called heart attack markers. Due to the heart attack, heart muscle tissue dies, which leads to the release of special proteins. These can be detected in the blood and are considered signs of a heart attack that has taken place.
Ultrasound examination of the heart (echocardiography) is also used if a heart attack is suspected. It can be used to visualize disturbed movements of the heart walls during the contraction (constriction) of the heart. If disturbances are recognizable here, this indicates tissue damage caused by a heart attack.
Complications
As a rule, the heart attack itself is a medical complication. In the worst case, it can also lead to the death of the patient or have an extremely negative impact on the rest of life. If a heart attack is not properly treated within a few minutes or hours, it can result in death and irreversible damage to the victim’s body. It is not uncommon for patients to be extremely restricted in their movement or motor skills. Paralysis and movement disorders occur. The internal organs can also be permanently damaged by an insufficient supply of oxygen, which also results in damage to the brain.
Those affected then suffer from speech disorders or disorientation and can no longer cope with everyday life on their own. It is not uncommon for patients to be dependent on the help of other people in their everyday lives. Most of the damage can no longer be treated. Various therapies may be able to restore the movement of the individual parts of the body. There are no special complications during the treatment. The earlier the heart attack is diagnosed and treated, the higher the chance of a complete cure. Under certain circumstances, the life expectancy of the person affected is also reduced by the heart attack.
treatment and therapy
A heart attack needs to be treated as soon as possible. Treatment usually takes place in the hospital in the intensive care unit. The heart attack is treated here by removing the blockage in the blood vessels.
Rapid treatment is important, since the vascular occlusion caused by the infarction can lead to irreversible damage to the muscle tissue of the heart. Various methods are used to remove the vascular occlusion.In thrombolytic therapy, drugs dissolve the blood clot that is responsible for the heart attack. This therapy can already be initiated by the emergency doctor who is called to the patient with a heart attack. Any patient who arrives at the clinic suspected of having a heart attack is admitted as an emergency patient. Immediate measures such as giving nitroglycerin may be initiated promptly.
The most urgent examinations such as the ECG and a blood draw are also carried out immediately. Depending on the type and severity of the heart attack, surgery may be needed immediately. In acute PTCA, the blocked vessel is widened with a catheter and the clot is mechanically removed. A stent is usually placed after acute PTCA. In the case of a severe heart attack, it may also be necessary to bypass the constriction using a bypass operation.
In addition to these therapies, which are used after the heart attack has occurred, weaker methods are used for the imminent heart attack. These include the administration of blood-thinning and antihypertensive medication or increasing the supply of oxygen before the heart attack has fully formed.
Prevention
The heart attack can be prevented by minimizing the risk factors for hardening of the arteries, which are the cause of the heart attack. A healthy lifestyle is therefore essential for prevention. In particular, a healthy diet , avoiding obesity, sufficient exercise and not consuming nicotine Prevent heart attacks. In addition, treatment of predisposing diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure is helpful. In addition, the person at risk of a heart attack should avoid stress if possible in order to prevent the heart attack.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.