Heart Attack
A heart attack is a severe medical condition and emergency that happen when the blood supply to the heart is a clot or blocked. Immediately call for an ambulance when you suspect a heart attack. The absence of blood in the heart can be life-threatening and damage the heart muscles.
Heart attack symptoms
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain (tightness, heaviness)
- Body parts pain usually limbs
- Dizziness or lightheaded
- Sweating
- Sick
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety attack or panic attack
- Coughing or wheezing
Chest pains are often severe, but a few people may only experience minor pain like indigestion.
Though chest pain is a standard symptom for both men and women during a heart attack, women are more likely to undergo other symptoms like back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, and feeling sick. Call for immediate help; the chances of survival depend on how fast you act.
Heart attacks treatments
The treatments for a heart attack entirely depend on how severe it is. But the two primary treatments are:
- Dissolve blood clots using medicines
- Restore blood to the heart with surgery
Heart attack causes
The primary reason for heart attacks is coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a condition where the primary blood vessels that supply the heart get clotted or clogged by cholesterol, known as plaques. One of the plaques bursts before a heart attack to cause a blood clot to trigger a heart attack.
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Heart attack prevention
Following are the five significant steps to reduce the risks of having a heart attack:
- Quit smoking
- Proper exercise (at least 150 minutes a week)
- Reduce weight if you are obese
- Change your diet to low-fat and high-fiber
- Don’t abuse alcohol; make sure you are consuming moderately
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 23 JUNE 2022