What is Heart Attack - Causes & Symptoms
What is Heart Attack ?
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The heart works 24 hours a day, pumping oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the body. Blood is supplied to the heart through its coronary arteries. If a blood clot suddenly blocks a coronary artery, it cuts off most or all blood supply to the heart, and a heart attack results. Cells in the heart muscle that do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood begin to die. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart.
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Having a heart attack is a big wake up call for most people. There's usually no problem convincing a heart attack survivor to change his or her lifestyle-to quit smoking, control their high blood pressure and cholesterol, control their weight and get regular physical activity.
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As you see in movies & on Television, all heart attacks come with a sudden pain. But in reality, it’s totally different. Many heart attacks show no symptoms at all. They are called Silent heart attacks. These are generally the earlier stage heart attacks, which are ignored. Because of this only when people get 2nd/3rd heart attack, they fail to cope up with it & die.
It’s very important to know symptoms of heart attack. It will help you to know when you/ your relative gets a heart attack & you can act immediately. Below I have mentioned the most common symptoms of a heart attack.
# 1 Chest Pain
It is the most common symptom of a heart attack. It comes suddenly and can last for few minutes. Generally, this pain occurs on the center or left portion of your heart. Never take it as a common pain & drink water immediately. After the pain has reduced, tell a family member to call a doctor. If pain I severe, call ambulance & take yourself/ relative to the hospital immediately.
Other Signs & Symptoms-
Symptoms
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Nausea i.e feeling sick
| Nausea is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach and head with an urge to vomit. An attack of nausea is known as a qualm. Nausea which affects the stomach is sometimes called wamble. Nausea is not a sickness, but rather a symptom of several conditions, many of which are unrelated to the stomach. Nausea is often indicative of an underlying condition elsewhere in the body.
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Vomiting
| Vomiting (known medically as nemesis and informally as throwing up and a number of other terms) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting may result from many causes, ranging from gastritis or poisoning to brain tumors, or elevated intracranial pressure. The feeling that one is about to vomit is called nausea, which usually precedes, but does not always lead to, vomiting.
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Pain in most parts of body, specially your heart
| As discussed above in Chest Pain
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Shortness of breath
| Most people know that chest pain can indicate the presence of heart disease, but less well known apparently is that shortness of breath can also be a symptom of serious cardiac problems
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Tiredness or Fatigue
| Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion or a need to rest because of lack of energy or strength. Fatigue may result from overwork, poor sleep, worry, boredom, or lack of exercise. It is a symptom that may be caused by illness, medicine, or medical treatment such as chemotherapy. Anxiety or depression can also cause fatigue.
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Sleeping problems / Sleeping Disorders
| A sleep disorder, or homeopathy, is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning.
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Conclusion
| Not everyone having a heart attack experiences the typical symptoms. If you’ve already had a heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same for another one. The more signs and symptoms you have, the more likely it is that you’re having a heart attack. Sometimes the signs and symptoms of a heart attack happen suddenly, but they can also develop slowly, over hours, days, and even weeks before a heart attack occurs.
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Warning Signs of Heart Disease & Heart Attack / Educational Video
Act Immediately
You should act immediately if you are facing these problems. Don’t drive to the hospital. Either call the ambulance or let someone else drive & take you to nearest hospital.
Surviving Heart Attack-
There are millions of people who have survived a heart attack. Many recover fully and are able to lead normal lives. Well I can give yo list of some activities you shall preform to totally avoid this disease.
After Heart Attack you will have to regularly see your doctor for regular checkups & tests & see how the Heart is doing. Your doctor may recommend you following points-
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| Recover and resume normal activities as much as possible
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| Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, changing your diet, or increasing your physical activity
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| Medications, such as aspirin and nitroglycerin tablets for angina (chest pain).
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| Medications to lower your cholesterol or blood pressure and help reduce your heart's workload
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| Participation in a cardiac rehabilitation program.
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