| What is Heart
Disease? |
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Heart disease
occurs when blockages build up in the coronary
arteries. These blockages are called atherosclerotic
plaque' and the process by which they build
up is called 'atherosclerosis'. This is
called 'Coronary Artery Disease'(CAD) Other
forms of heart disease include valvular
heart disease, heart failure, and disorders
of heart rhythm. |
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| What is a Heart
Attack? |
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A heart attack is injury
or death of part of the heart muscle also
known as ‘myocardial infartion’
(MI). Most heart attacks are caused as a
result of rupture of the plaque that causes
the formation of the clot, complete cessation
of blood flow in a portion of heart and
eventually permanent damage to that portion
of heart muscle: heart attack. |
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| How to Handle
Heart Attack at Home? |
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The first hour of
a heart attack is known as the "golden
hour". If you get help during that
first hour, your chances of recovery are
greatly improved. Yet many people hesitate
to get help when they first experience symptoms.
They're afraid of the embarrassment of going
to the emergency room and finding that nothing
is wrong.
Many of the symptoms of heart attack can
be mimicked by digestive disturbances, acidity,
gas, muscular pain etc. Heart attacks may
vary from person to person, and from heart
attack to heart attack in the same person.
This may result in them delaying seeking
treatment. That is a great mistake. Only
sophisticated medical tests can determine
for sure if you're having a heart attack.
Heart attack is one instance where getting
treatment promptly can mean the difference
between life and death. If you are in doubt,
err on the side of being more cautious and
go to the cardiologist or emergency room
and get yourself checked. |
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| First warning
of Heart Attack |
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Angina pectoris is
a precursor to a heart attack. During physical
exertion, during stress or an emotionally
charged situation, in cold weather or after
a big meal heart muscle requires more oxygenated
blood flow to the heart muscle to maintain
the beating. But if the channels by which
the blood and oxygen flow to the heart are
narrowed, not enough nutrients get to the
heart muscle tissue. It suffers oxygen deficiency,
and the heart tells you about this with
a pain called angina pectoris.
It is described as: 'a
heavy, strangulating, suffocating experience-far
more intense than anything like indigestion,
chest wall injuries, pleurisy or spasms
of the esophagus' that you are familiar
with. The pain may seem to start under the
breastbone, on the left side of the chest
and sometimes radiates out to other places:
throat, neck, jaw, left shoulder and arm
and, occasionally, on to the right side.
Angina is an intense, scary
episode. But with rest and calm (or by placing
nitroglycerin or another kind of nitrate
under the tongue), angina attacks usually
go away in about 15 minutes or so. If they
last longer than that, go to the hospital
and have a thorough check up. Long-lasting
angina attacks may be the prelude to heart
attacks.
The statistics show that half of those
with angina pectoris suffer sudden deaths,
a third have heart attacks, and most victims
are older men. And an estimated 350,000
new cases of angina occur each year. |
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If you have never been
diagnosed with heart disease but develop
any of the following symptoms, consider
the possibility that you have angina. Arrange
for a cardiac screening with your cardiologist
as soon as possible.Chest pain that comes
with physical exertion and eases with rest.
Chest pain that is brought on by emotional
stress. New or unusual shortness of breath-if
you suddenly find you're winded after climbing
a flight of stairs when you used to be able
to take the same flight of stairs in stride,
for example.Indigestion, particularly if
indigestion is unusual for you, if it does
not respond to antacids, or if you do not
associate its occurrence with eating. |
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| Heart Attack |
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Heart attacks frequently
occur from 4:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. due to
higher adrenaline amounts released from
the adrenal glands during the morning hours.
Increased adrenaline in the bloodstream
can contribute to the rupture of the plaque
that causes the formation of the clot, complete
cessation of blood flow in a portion of
heart and eventually permanent damage to
that portion of heart muscle: heart attack.
During and after the attack, heart rhythm
can get abnormal which may cause sudden
stoppage of heart leading to cardiac arrest
and sudden cardiac death. Occasionally sudden
cardiac death may be the only symptom of
heart attack. |
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| Typical Symptoms |
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The typical symptoms
of a heart attack are similar to those of
angina, but more severe and longer lasting.
The victim feels a pain that is usually
squeezing or burning or feels a terrible
pressure or band-like sensation, squeezing,
heaviness, or other discomfort in the middle
of chest. This pain may also travel upto
the neck, jaw, or shoulder or down the arm
and into the back. The pain may be present
for up to twelve hours. If you have chest
pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes and
is not relieved by rest (or by a dose of
nitroglycerin), get immediate medical attention.
In some cases, a heart
attack may cause a sensation that feels
like indigestion: you get a sick, aching
feeling high in the middle of your abdomen.
It can cause a feeling of great weakness,
or a sense that you are about to faint.
(Many of the people who had heart attacks
thought that they had intestinal problem
instead of associating it with a heart attack.)
None of these symptoms assures that a heart
attack is in progress, but the more symptoms
you have, the more likely it is a heart
attack. |
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| Other Symptoms
of Heart Attack |
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· Chest pressure
· Sweating
· Jaw pain
· Heartburn and/or
indigestion
· Arm pain (more commonly
the left arm, but may be either)
· Upper back pain
· General malaise
(vague feeling of illness)
· Nausea, vomiting,
hiccups
· Shortness of breath |
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| Heart Attack
Pain Areas |
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Heart attack discomfort may be in all the
areas or only in one or more areas described
here. It may be absent in the chest and may
be present only in other area like shoulder
or arm or jaw etc. |
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| Silent Heart
Attack |
| |
Heart attacks can occur without any warning
symptoms.
These are called silent heart attacks. Some
heart attacks may be associated with "atypical'
symptoms, symptoms such as heartburn, nausea,
or sudden light-headedness and sweating.
These are more common in women, diabetics,
and people older than 65.
Approximately one quarter of all heart attacks
are silent. |
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| What should
you do if you suspect you are having a Heart
Attack? |
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Stop whatever you're
doing and sit down or lie down.Chew and
swallow an aspirin and drink a glass of
water. (Don't take aspirin if you are allergic
to aspirin, had an stomach ulcer, recent
bleeding or surgery in last I month) Aspirin
is known to thin the blood, which helps
the heart get more blood if you are, indeed,
having a heart attack.Take up to three nitroglycerin/
sorbitrate tablets-one at a time at five-
minute intervals or as prescribed by your
doctor.If you can get to the hospital faster
by car, have someone drive you. Or else
call an cardiac ambulance. Do not drive
yourself to the hospital.
Do Not Delay. Waiting more than
fifteen minutes to see if the pain goes
away can result in permanent damage to your
heart. At worst, it can cost you your life. |
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| What to do
if you are with someone who appears to be
having a Heart Attack? |
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Don't panic. Keep
control. It is very important that the victim
and you be relaxed. The hormonal surges
that accompany panic put the heart at greater
risk. Panic is destructive and can interfere
with essential treatment. Don't minimize
the seriousness of what is happening. Be
reassuring, stay calm and be confident.
Try to see that everyone else in the house
remains calm. If someone screams or flails
about, remove that person from the patient's
presence. |
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Do not permit the person to persuade you
that his / her problem is inconsequential.
Fear or wishful thinking often causes people
who experience chest symptoms to deny the
Importance of the symptoms.If the person is
breathless, give him oxygen if you have some
available at house. |
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If the person is unresponsive and pulse
less or not breathing and If you have been
properly trained and the need arises, begin
CPR and keep it going until help arrives. |
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When the ambulance arrives, reassure the victim
again, reminding him or her that he or she
is on the way to a hospital that handles such
cases every day. |
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If your doctor advises blood thinning medicine
injection (Heparin) accept it. |
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If heart attack is confirmed by ECG, and
transport to hospital is going to take more
than 1 hour and your doctor recommends blood
clot dissolving medicine (thrombolysis) accept
it. |
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After reaching the hospital if your cardiologist
suggests immediate angioplasty with stenting
(PAMI), it is a better option, albeit costlier,
than blood clot dissolving medicine (thrombolysis). |
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| Prevention
of Heart Disease |
| |
Heart Disease is caused due to the presence
of risk factor. The risk factors are Blood
Pressure, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, Smoking,
Obesity, Physical Inactivity and Family History.
To prevent heart disease one must keep their
risk factor to a minimum.
This
can be done through a combination of good
eating habits, exercise and medication when
required. |
