Heart Attack

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Heart

attack

A heart attack is a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the
heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot. Lack of blood to the heart can
seriously damage the heart muscle.
A heart attack is known medically as a myocardial infarction or MI.

Like all other tissues and organs in the body, the heart needs a constant supply of
oxygen-rich blood. Without this supply, heart muscles may be damaged and begin to
die.
If this is not treated, heart muscles will experience irreversible damage. If a large
portion of the heart is damaged, the heart will stop beating (known as a cardiac
arrest), resulting in death.

Symptoms can include:

Chest pain the chest can feel like it is being pressed or squeezed by a heavy
object, and pain can radiate from the chest to the jaw, neck, arms and back. Usually
the left arm is affected, but it can affect both arms.

lack of breath

feeling weak and/or lightheaded (dizzy)

overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)

sweating

feeling sick

It is important to know that not everyone experiences severe chest pain; the pain can
often be mild and mistaken for indigestion.

Cardiac arrest
In some cases a complication called ventricular arrhythmia can cause the heart to go
into spasm and then to stop beating. This is known as sudden cardiac arrest.
Signs and symptoms of a person having cardiac arrest include:

they appear not to be breathing

they are not moving

they do not respond to any stimulation, such as being touched or spoken
If you think somebody has gone into cardiac arrest and you do not have access to a
piece of equipment called an automated external defibrillator (AED), you should
perform chest compressions, as this can help restart the heart.

Chest compression
To carry out a chest compression:
Place the heel of your hand on the breastbone at the centre of the persons chest.
Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers.
Using your body weight (not only your arms), press down by 5-6cm on their chest.
Repeat this until an ambulance arrives.
Aim to do the chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions a minute.


Causes of a heart attack



Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most important cause of heart attacks. CHD is a
condition in which the coronary arteries (the major blood vessels that supply the heart
with blood) clogged up with deposits of cholesterol. These deposits are called plaques.
During a heart attack, one of the plaques bursts, causing a blood clot in the site of the
rupture. The clot may then block the blood supply in the coronary arteries to the
heart, triggering a heart attack.
Risk factors for CHD:


Smoking

Carbon monoxide and nicotine put a strain on the heart by making it work
faster. They also increase your risk of blood clots. If you smoke, you increase your risk
of developing heart disease by 24%.


Diet

If you eat a diet high in saturated fat, your blood cholesterol levels will rise. This
leads to an increase in your risk of CHD and heart attacks. Some foods, such as oily
fish, can help lower cholesterol levels.


High blood pressure

Having poorly controlled high blood pressure (hypertension) can weaken the
coronary arteries, making them more vulnerable to CHD. The higher your blood
pressure, the greater your risk of CHD and heart attacks.



Diabetes

The increased levels of blood glucose associated with type 1 diabetes and type
2 diabetes can damage the coronary arteries.


To be overweight or obese

People who are overweight or obese:
have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure
tend to have higher levels of cholesterol as a result of eating a high-fat diet


Lack of exercise

Lack of exercise is not directly related to an increased risk of CHD and heart
attacks. However, it is linked to an increased risk of being overweight or obese and
having high blood pressure.


Alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause high blood pressure and increased
blood cholesterol levels. Most heavy drinkers tend to have unhealthy lifestyles, such as
smoking, eating a high-fat diet and not exercising enough.


Age and sex

The older you are, the more likely you are to develop some degree of CHD.
Men are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack than women.


Family history

If you have a first-degree relative (a parent, brother or sister) with a history of
heart disease such as angina, heart attack or stroke you are twice as likely to
develop similar problems, compared to the general population.


Air pollution

Research has found that exposure to air pollution, specifically traffic pollution,
can cause a significant rise in your chance of developing CHD.


Less common causes:

Drug misuse

Stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamines can cause
coronary arteries to narrow, restricting blood supply and triggering a heart attack.
Heart attacks from the use of cocaine are one of the most common causes of sudden
death in young people.


Lack of oxygen in the blood (hypoxia)

If levels of oxygen in the blood decrease due to carbon monoxide poisoning or
a loss of normal lung function, the heart will receive un-oxygenated blood.


Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a weakness in a blood vessel wall. If the blood vessel wall
becomes weakened in a certain point, it wont be able to withstand the pressure of
blood.


How Is a Heart Attack Diagnosed?

To diagnose a heart attack, an emergency care team will ask you about your symptoms
and begin to evaluate you. The diagnosis of the heart attack is based on your
symptoms and test results. The goal of treatment is to treat you quickly and limit heart
muscle damage.

Tests to Diagnose a Heart Attack


ECG . The ECG (also known as electrocardiogram) can tell how much damage
has happened to your heart muscle and where it has happened. In addition, your heart
rate and rhythm can be monitored.


Blood tests. Blood may be drawn to measure levels of cardiac enzymes that
indicate heart muscle damage. These enzymes are normally found inside the cells of
your heart and are needed for their function. By measuring the levels of these
enzymes, the doctor can determine the size of the heart attack and approximately
when the heart attack started.


Echocardiography. Echocardiography is an imaging test that can be used during
and after a heart attack to learn how the heart is pumping and what areas are not

Aim = pretender
Aneurysm = aneurisma
At a rate = a un ritmo
Beat = latir
Breastbone = esternn
Bursts = explosionar
Cardiac arrest = paro cardiaco
Carry out = llevar a cabo, realizar
Chest = pecho
Clogged up = taparse, entaponarse
Degree = grado
Echocardiography = ecocardiografa
Exposure = exposicin
Goal = objetivo
Greater = mayor
Heavy = pesado
Heel = palma, taln
However = sin embargo
Interlock = entrelazar
Jaw = mandibula
Lightheaded = mareado
Likely = probable
Lung = pulmn
Mild = leve, suave
Mistaken = confundido, errneo
Misuse = abuso
Myocardial infarction = infarto de miocardio
Narrow = estrecharse
Oily fish = pescado azul
Overweight = sobrepeso
Overwhelming = abrumador
Poisoning = envenenamiento
Pollution = contaminacin
Poorly = pobremente, mal
Pressed = presionado
Pumping = bombear
Relative = pariente
Research = investigacin
Squeezed = exprimido
Strain = tensin
Supply = suministro, abastecimiento
Sweat = sudar
Team = equipo
Tissues = tejido
Triggering = desencadenando
Vessels = vaso
Withstand = resistir

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