Heart Attack - Symptoms, Signs, Causes & Treatment

Risk Factors for a Heart Attack

There are a number of risk factors for a heart attack, but three of the biggest are lifestyle, age & family history. Among the lifestyle risk factors, the US CDC singles out high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol & smoking as the most significant. While you cannot do anything about your age or family history, you do have the ability to change your lifestyle & lower your risk of a heart attack.

Here are four major risk factors for a Heart Attack:

• Hypoxemia: Low levels of oxygen in the blood.
• Pulmonary edema: Fluid build-up inside & around the lungs.
• Cardiogenic shock: In this condition, the patient’s BP (blood pressure) drops suddenly due to the heart’s inability to provide sufficient blood for the rest of the body to function adequately.
• Cardiac arrest: A heart attack & cardiac arrest are not the same things. During a cardiac arrest, the heart stops completely. However, a heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest if not treated properly.
• Age: Individuals above 50 are more likely to experience a heart attack than younger people.
• Gender: Men are more likely to suffer from a heart attack at an earlier age than women.
• Heredity: If you have a family history of heart disease, you may be prone to developing one as well. It is extremely important to keep your health in-check & be fully aware of your genetic history.
• Smoking: Excessive tobacco consumption can put you at risk of having a heart attack.

Treatments for a Heart Attack

Treatments for a heart attack vary from person to person depending on their age, health condition & medical history. Medicines such as antiplatelet agents are often prescribed to break up blood clots. One cheap, over-the-counter & highly effective (according to studies) is aspirin, which can help avoid heart attacks.

Here are a few common treatments for a Heart Attack:

• Medications that help dissolve blood clots.
• Bypass or heart surgery to divert obstructions around the heart & help improve blood flow.
• A percutaneous coronary intervention, commonly known as a stent, which is inserted through a minor surgical procedure, restores blood flow towards the heart. The procedure is called angioplasty.

Medicinal treatment for a Heart Attack

• Aspirin: This thins the blood & manages blood clotting, controlling blood flow.
• Antiplatelet agents: These control the size of blood clots, preventing them from growing in size, while also preventing the formation of new blood clots.
• ACE inhibitors: These divert stress on the heart & decrease blood pressure.
• Beta blockers: These divert stress on the heart, decreasing blood pressure & easing the heartbeat. They can also control heart damage & prevent future heart attacks.
• Clotbusters: Also called thrombolytics, these eliminate blood clots.
• Heparin: This helps thin the blood & is administered via an IV or injection.
• Nitroglycerin: This helps boost blood flow & manage chest pain.
• Statins: These keep your blood cholesterol in check.

Chest pain & complications should never be neglected. Seeing a medical specialist well in advance can help prevent heart attacks & fatalities.

Surgical treatment for a Heart Attack

• Coronary angioplasty & stenting: During this surgery, a tube is inserted into a blocked artery, either through an artery in the wrist or groin. Another name for this procedure is Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).
• Coronary artery bypass surgery: This is often done as an emergency procedure when a heart attack occurs. In some cases, patients may need to wait up to seven days after a heart attack for this procedure to be conducted.

Heart Attack Complications

Heart attack complications are often a direct result of the damage sustained by the heart muscle during a myocardial infarction. However, the most frequently occurring complication is heart failure, which may result from a number of different cardiovascular diseases. Heart attacks may also disrupt the muscle’s electrical rhythm, causing arrhythmia, or lead to a build-up of fluids, as is the case with edema.

Common Complications from a Heart Attack include:

• Arrhythmia: When the heartbeat is irregular.
• Edema: Fluid accumulates over time, causing the ankles & legs to swell.
• Aneurysm: Scar tissue collects on the heart wall. This thins & stretches the heart muscle. This phenomenon eventually forms a sac, which can lead to blood clots.
• Angina: Insufficient oxygen towards the heart muscle, leading to chest pain & other complications.
• Heart failure: When the heart muscle can no longer pump properly, causing tiredness, labored breathing & edema.
• Myocardial rupture: This is a heart attack-related tear in the heart.
• Depression: This is common after a heart attack as it is a near-death experience. Engaging in positive activities, spending time with loved ones & support groups can help.

Prevention of a Heart Attack

Prevention is better than the cure when it comes to something as serious as a heart attack. Luckily, you can take a huge number of steps to lower your risk of having one. These are primarily focused on shifting towards a healthier lifestyle, mainly focused on dietary improvements, increased exercise, blood pressure & stress alleviation. Additionally, quitting tobacco & alcohol can significantly reduce your risk of having a heart attack.

Here are a few ways you can lower your risk of a Heart Attack:

• Choose a healthy lifestyle, especially on the dietary front
• Avoid or quit smoking
• Regular exercise
• Manage stress levels
• Limit alcohol intake
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Manage cholesterol levels
• Manage diabetes

At Medcare, we offer an array of advanced interventional & preventative cardiology treatments. Book an appointment today.