Heart Attack
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What Is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Often, this blockage leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat or rhythm) that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, the affected heart muscle will die and be replaced by scar tissue.
Each year, over a million people in the U.S. have a heart attack and about half of them die. About one-half of those who die do so within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before reaching the hospital. Most of these sudden deaths (within 1 hour) are due to arrhythmias that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart.
A heart attack is a life-threatening event. Everyone should know the warning signs of a heart attack and how to get emergency help. Many people suffer permanent damage to their hearts or die because they do not get help immediately.
Each year, more than a million persons in the U.S. have a heart attack and about half (515,000) of them die. About one-half of those who die do so within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before reaching the hospital.
Emergency personnel can often stop arrhythmias with emergency CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), defibrillation (electrical shock), and prompt advanced cardiac life support procedures. If care is sought soon enough, blood flow in the blocked artery can be restored in time to prevent permanent damage to the heart. Yet, most people do not seek medical care for 2 hours or more after symptoms begin. Many people wait 12 hours or longer.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack?
The warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack can include:
* Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Heart attack pain can sometimes feel like indigestion or heartburn.
* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain, discomfort, or numbness in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
* Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
* Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, having nausea and vomiting, or feeling light-headed or dizzy.
Signs and symptoms vary from person to person. In fact, if you have a second heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same as for the first heart attack. Some people have no symptoms. This is called a silent heart attack.
How Can I Prevent a Heart Attack?
Most heart attacks are caused by coronary artery disease (CAD). You can help prevent a heart attack by knowing about your risk factors for CAD and heart attack and taking action to lower your risks.
You can lower your risk of having a heart attack, even if you have already had a heart attack or are told that your chances of having a heart attack are high.
To prevent a heart attack, you will most likely need to make lifestyle changes. You may also need to get treatment for conditions that raise your risk.
You can lower your risk for CAD and a heart attack by making healthy lifestyle choices:
* Eat a healthy diet to prevent or reduce high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, and maintain a healthy weight
* If you smoke, quit
* Exercise as directed by your doctor
* Lose weight if you are overweight or obese
What Conditions Influence Heart Attack?
In addition to making lifestyle changes, you can help prevent heart attacks by treating conditions you have that make a heart attack more likely:
* High blood cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, follow your doctor's advice about lowering your cholesterol. Take medications to lower your cholesterol as directed.
* High blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor's advice about keeping your blood pressure under control. Take blood pressure medications as directed.
* High blood sugar (diabetes). If you have diabetes, follow your doctor's advice about keeping your blood sugar levels under control. Take medications as directed.
Source: National Institutes of Health
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Studies from B. Krachler et al provide new data on life sciences
2009 AUG 3 - (NewsRx.com) -- "The Northern Sweden MONICA project 1986-2004 demonstrated a marked increase in average body mass, an unchanged prevalence of diabetes, and a decrease in myocardial infarctions and lately also in stroke. This study estimates the relative importance of time-trends in lifestyle on average waist and hip circumference on a population level," researchers in Kalix, Sweden report. "From a series of independent cross-sectional surveys, a study population of 2,831 men and 2,976 women was formed. Associations between lifestyle factors and waist and hip circumference were estimated. Partial regression coefficients for every level of the lifestyle factors were multiplied by the differences in the proportion of the population reporting the corresponding levels of the respective lifestyle factors in 1986 and 2004. The sum of the product terms for each item represents the respective estimated impact of change in waist and hip circumference. Lifestyle trends associated with changes in hip circumference were (women/men): higher education level (+4.0mm/+2.4 mm), fewer smokers (+0.4mm/+0.9 mm), a slight increase in alcohol consumption (+0.4mm/+0.3 mm), and more saturated fat from meat in women (-0.9mm) and more fibre from grains in men (+0.6 mm). Average waist circumference was influenced by increased levels of physical activity (-2.2mm/-4.6 mm), fewer female smokers (- 0.3 mm), and a higher intake of saturated fatty acids from meat among men (+1.8 mm)," wrote B. Krachler and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "We identified physical activity and the intake of meat and whole-grain products as prime candidates for lifestyle interventions in northern Sweden.." Krachler and colleagues published their study in Scandinavian Journal of Public Health (Population-wide changes in reported lifestyle are associated with redistribution of adipose tissue. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2009;37(5):545-553). For additional information, contact B. Krachler, Kalix Hospital, Dept. of Medical, Skolgatan 1, SE-95282 Kalix, Sweden. Publisher contact information for the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health is: Sage Publications Ltd., 1 Olivers Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, England. Keywords: Sweden, Kalix, Life Sciences, Obesity, Diabetes, Vaginal Candidiasis, Myocardial Infarction, Heart Attack, Public Health. This article was prepared by Diabetes Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Diabetes Week via NewsRx.com.
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