A heart attack occurs when there is loss pf blood supply to a part of the heart/ cardiac muscle, often that occurs due to blockage in the arteries. It is a medical emergency and needs to be addressed immediately. Spotting the early signs of heart attack and getting prompt treatment can save a person’s life.

The blockage occurs due to build up of fats, cholesterol and other substances that narrows the coronary arteries. This process of plaque formation is called atherosclerosis. When the plaque in the coronary artery breaks open, a blood clot forms. The clot can block blood flow. When it completely stops the blood flow to a part of heart muscle, that particular portion of the muscle begins to die. The amount of damage to the heart muscle depends on the size of the area supplied by the blocked artery and the time duration between injury and treatment.

WARNING SIGNS

Atherosclerosis develops over time. It often has no symptoms until enough damage lessens the blood supply to the heart. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. But, most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Signs of heart attack include-

• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, neck, back ,jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breathe with or without chest discomfort
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the centre of the chest.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, light headedness and nausea
• A feeling familiar to heartburn or indigestion
• In some cases, anxiety that can feel similar to a panic attack

Heart attack symptoms can differ in order and duration- it might start gradually or be intermittent over several hours. The following may also develop-

• Pulmonary edema- it involves fluid accumulation in and around the lungs
• Hypoxemia- it involves low levels of oxygen in blood
• Cardiogenic shock- it involves blood pressure dropping suddenly as heart cannot pump blood enough to the rest of the body to work efficiently.

If any individual have similar symptoms then one must visit a cardiologist. Gujarat kidney hospital is one of the best heart hospital in Vadodara.

CAUSES

The most common cause of heart attack is a complete or partial blockage of the arteries near the heart. This can occur due to coronary heart disease- where there is plaque formation causing narrowing of the arteries and with time obstructs the blood flow.

Lesser common causes may include-

• Blood clots
• Coronary artery spasms
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Misuses of certain drugs like cocaine that causes the blood vessel to narrow.

TREATMENT

A heart attack is  life threatening and needs medical attention. When making a diagnosis and drawing a treatment strategy, few considerations are to be made like age, medical history, overall health and family history. Once the patient reached the medical facility few tests are performed and the treatment options available are-

• Medications such as those to dissolve the blood clots

• Aspirin – emergency medical providers may give aspirin immediately
• Thrombolytics or fibrinolytics- these drugs help to breakdown the blood clots that restrict the blood flow to the heart.
• Nitroglycerine- helps to widen the blood vessel
• Morphine- relieves chest pain

• Percutaneous coronary intervention,  a mechanical method of restoring blood flow to damaged tissues. This procedure is done to open clogged heart arteries.
• Coronary artery bypass grafting, commonly known as heart bypass, diverts blood around the damaged areas of the arteries to improve blood flow. This is a open heart surgery. It may be done as an emergency surgery at the time of heart attack.
• Cardia rehabilitation- it is a personalized exercise and education program that teaches ways to improve heart health after a cardiac surgery.