In the medical definition, a heart attack is the death of a part of the heart muscle due to a lack of blood flow to it. It is often called a heart attack or coronary thrombosis. As a rule, doctors say, the heart attack develops in those who eat poorly, move little and can not cope with stress.
A heart attack usually occurs when one of the blood vessels that feed the heart muscle is clogged with a thrombus. If the thrombus is large enough, it can completely deprive the heart of the blood supply. Also, a heart attack can be caused by an artery spasm, which feeds the myocardium - the heart muscle. Most often this spasm occurs under the influence of stress.
Risk factors
Age is considered the main risk factor for a heart attack. Most often, a heart attack overtakes men over 45 and women over 55.
Attacks of angina pectoris (lack of nutrition of the heart muscle). Often the infarction and angina are confused, since their symptoms are very similar: chest pain and shortness of breath are observed in both cases. But the symptoms of angina are removed by taking special medications for 15-30 minutes, and no infarction.
Increased cholesterol in the blood or atherosclerosis. With these diseases, the risk of blood clots and blockage of blood flow in the vessels of the heart is increased.
In addition, the risk factors for developing a heart attack include:
Diabetes.
Hypertension.
Fatty food.
Obesity. The maximum allowable waist circumference for women is 94 centimeters, for men -102 centimeters. Exceeding these values increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Smoking.
Lack of physical activity.
Stress.
Genetic predisposition. Those whose relatives suffered from heart attacks, the risk of developing this disease increased.
What is a "silent heart attack"?
People over 75 years old and those with diabetes can experience a "silent heart attack", which is not accompanied by painful sensations in general. Approximately one-fifth of such heart attacks are not diagnosed. Damage to the cardiac muscle of those who have experienced a "silent heart attack" is progressing, because it is not detected and not treated.
IMPORTANT!
Symptoms of a heart attack
Unpleasant sensations in the chest, stitching pain.
Cough.
Dizziness.
Shortness of breath.
Pale with a grayish tinge.
Feeling of fear, panic.
Nausea.
Anxiety.
Cold sweat on his face.
Vomiting.
The person who has a heart attack, first of all, feels pain in the chest. Then unpleasant sensations extend to the neck, face and hands, and sometimes even back and stomach. The pain can last from several minutes to several hours. Usually a person feels a little better if he changes the position of the body or lies down.
If life and health are dear to you, it will not prevent you from stocking up in advance with other means.
- Keep a medicine from your heart, even if you do not consider yourself a "core". By the way, a person with heart failure, constantly carrying a nitroglycerin or valocordin, is in a more advantageous position than someone who thinks he is healthy and does not take drugs with him.
Adopt the rule: heart medications should always be at hand! Let them lie in the drawer of your desk, in the drawer of the bedside table and in the pockets of your clothes. If you do not need them personally, you can come in handy to someone else who, in your presence, becomes ill with a heart.
You should always have at hand a phone - landline or mobile. Of course, it is not a fact that in the event of a sudden deterioration in your state of health, you will be able to use it, but it's still some kind of insurance.
In case of experienced severe stress, try to breathe deeper (even if there are no signs of a heart attack). If possible, do not drive. Take sedatives.