Heart Attack (Atake sa Puso)

A heart attack is also known as an acute myocardial infarction. It is a dangerous condition in which the heart does not receive a sufficient amount of blood. As a result, the heart muscles gradually become damaged and die. When affected by this condition, the patient may experience chest pain or tightness that spreads to his neck, jaw, or back.

A person usually has a heart attack when his or her veins or arteries become blocked by a blood clot or fat. These can occur due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Associated factors include excessive smoking and alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, obesity, and high cholesterol in the body. Aside from blocking the arteries, it can also cause a heart attack if there is a hole or tear in the arteries.

Although a heart attack is a dangerous condition, there is a high probability that the patient's life could be saved if it is treated early. As soon as the patient has a heart attack, he or she needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. If the patient has stopped breathing, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through manual chest compression or defibrillation must be performed to replenish the patient's heart with blood and oxygen.

When the patient arrives at the hospital, he or she may be given medications to remove the blockages in the vein. He or she may also undergo cardiac catheterization or bypass surgery if there are not enough medications given as treatment.

History

According to studies, the first heart disease was discovered in 1550 BC by the ancient Egyptians. Knowledgeable records show that their civilization knows how to diagnose different types of heart disease such as heart attack or myocardial infarction. In these words, “myo” means “muscle,” while “cardial” refers to “heart.” "Infarction" refers to "muscle death." Hence in this condition, the patient experiences the death of his heart muscle when it is deficient in the amount of blood it receives.

In ancient times, it was also shown that people already knew how to cure heart disease. Patients with heart disease have often had surgery to cure the condition. But over the years, many different types of heart disease can be cured without surgery. This includes a heart attack.

Type

There are three main types of heart attacks. These include the following:

ST segment elevation (STEMI). In the STEMI type, the coronary artery becomes permanently blocked causing significant and permanent damage to the heart.

Non-ST segment elevation (NSTEMI). Compared to the STEMI type, NSTEMI is less severe because the coronary artery is not completely blocked. However, it is still a dangerous condition that needs immediate treatment.

Coronary artery spasm (CAS). CAS is also known as a silent heart attack. In this type, any of the arteries of the heart have a blockage. Often, the symptoms a patient feels with this condition are very similar to the symptoms of heartburn, such as satiety, indigestion, tightness of the chest or throat, and so on.

Cause

The most common cause of a heart attack is a blockage of arteries. Blood clots or fat often occur in the arteries due to the following:

• Excessive smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Being fat
• Lack of exercise
• Having a lot of cholesterol in the body
• Aside from a blockage of the vein, a heart attack can also occur if the veins have had a hole or tear.

Symptoms

Each person may experience different symptoms of a heart attack. A person can be considered to have a heart attack if he or she experiences the following:

• Pain that seems to be squeezing or crushing the chest
• Having an uncomfortable feeling in the back, jaw, throat, or arm
• Experiencing heartburn symptoms such as nausea, indigestion, and sore throat
• Fast heartbeat
• Difficulty in breathing
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headache or dizziness
• Excessive sweating
• Weakness of the body

The main symptom of a heart attack is tightness or pain in the chest that spreads to the neck, jaw, or back. If you feel this symptom, go to the nearest hospital immediately so that you can be given immediate medical help.

However, in other cases of heart attack, a patient may not experience chest pain. According to doctors, some patients have a heart attack even though the only thing that hurts them is their ears or arms, while others just vomit and feel dizzy.

Risk Factors

Everyone can be affected by a heart attack. However, there are various factors that increase the likelihood of developing this condition. These include the following:

• Getting Old. People aged 65 and over are more likely to have a heart attack. This is because the muscles and veins of their heart become more fragile and stiff.

• Being a man. According to records, more men have heart attacks than women. This is believed to be because men often have more vices, such as drinking alcohol and smoking.

• Being African. This condition is also more prevalent in people of African descent. This is taught because of their lack of having a healthy lifestyle. According to studies, most Africans smoke heavily and drink alcohol. Further, they have also been identified as often lacking exercise and adequate nutrition.

• Having a history of the condition in the family. The likelihood of having a heart attack may also increase if there is a history of heart disease or cardiovascular disease in your family. This means that it is in your race to have a heart attack and it can be triggered, especially if your lifestyle is not healthy.

• Not having a healthy lifestyle. If a person does not have a healthy lifestyle, he or she may have a heart attack. Some of the factors that increase the likelihood of developing this condition are smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of exercise, and having too much cholesterol in the body.

Living a healthy lifestyle can reduce the chances of having a heart attack. However, factors such as age, gender, race, and family history history cannot be changed or prevented further. If you are associated with any of these unchanging factors, it is suggested to intensify the pursuit of a healthy heart and body.

Complications

A heart attack can cause a variety of complications, especially if it is not treated early. Some of its possible complications are as follows:

• Heart failure or heart failure

• Having an aneurysm

• Having pericarditis

• Having erectile dysfunction or not erection in men

Complications such as heart failure are extremely dangerous. In order to avoid these types of dangerous complications, the patient needs to follow everything the doctor advises.

To avoid

To prevent a heart attack, the following ways to keep your heart and body healthy are helpful:

• Stop vices such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

• Exercise daily to regulate blood flow in the body.

• Lose weight by exercising and choosing balanced and nutritious foods.

If you have had a heart attack before, take prescribed medications to prevent another heart attack.