Heart
Attack: Warning signs and tips on prevention
(From the American
Academy of Family Physicians)
What
is a heart attack?
A
heart attack (also called myocardial infarction)
is when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because
it isn't receiving oxygen. Oxygen is carried to the heart
by the arteries (blood vessels). Most heart attacks are
caused by a blockage in these arteries.
Usually
the blockage is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the
buildup of fatty deposits (called plaque) inside the artery.
This buildup is like the gunk that builds up in a drainpipe
and slows the flow of water. Heart attacks can also be caused
by a blood clot that gets stuck in a narrow part of an artery
to the heart. Clots are more likely to form where atherosclerosis
has made an artery more narrow.
How
do I know if I'm having a heart attack?
The
pain of a heart attack can feel like bad heartburn. You
may also be having a heart attack if you:
-
Feel
a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with
sweating, nausea or vomiting.
-
Feel
pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm
or left shoulder.
-
Feel
tightness in your chest.
-
Have
shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds.
Don't
ignore the pain or discomfort. If you think you are having
heart problems or a heart attack, get help immediately.
The sooner you get treatment, the greater the chance that
the doctors can prevent further damage to the heart muscle.
Risk
factors for a heart attack
-
Smoking
Diabetes
-
High
cholesterol level
-
High blood pressure
-
Family
history of heart attack
-
Atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries)
-
Lack
of exercise
-
Obesity
-
Not
receiving estrogen replacement after menopause (for women)
How
can I avoid having a heart attack?
Talk
to your family doctor about your specific risk factors (see
above) for a heart attack and how to reduce your risk.
Your
doctor may tell you to do the following:
-
Quit
smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you don't smoke,
don't start!)
-
Eat
a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat
and sodium (salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Ask your doctor about how to start eating a healthy diet.
-
If
you have diabetes, control your blood sugar.
-
Exercise.
This sounds hard if you haven't exercised for a while,
but try to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise that raises
your heart rate at least 3 times a week.
-
If
you're overweight, lose weight. Your doctor can advise
you about the best ways to lose weight.
-
If
you have hypertension, control your blood pressure.
-
Talk
to your doctor about whether aspirin would help reduce
your risk of a heart attack. Aspirin can help keep your
blood from forming clots that can eventually block the
arteries.
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