Lower Your Risks or Have a Heart Attack

A heart attack knows no age limits; a person of any age can experience one. In this article, you will learn the risks and symptoms along with some important information about what will happen if you have a heart attack. It's important now to reduce your risks so that you do not experience a heart attack.

The Risks

What causes a heart attack? Years of abuse to your body with high cholesterol fatty food can cause plaque to build up in the arteries in a body. Lack of exercise or a sedentary life can elevate your risk. Stress that can cause high blood pressure will raise your chances of experiencing this life threatening condition. Smoking, a family history of heart disease and bad teeth can all elevate the risk for individuals.

Symptoms

Some symptoms of a heart attack are different for males and females yet others are the same. Shortness of Breath, chest pain, jaw pain, cold sweats, heart palpations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and left arm pain are all symptoms of a heart attack. Jaw pain is more common with women while chest pain is more common in men. Blood pressure will also dramatically rise and sometimes it can be felt as a very bad headache in the days before a heart attack.

At times a person will have a few of these symptoms along with a strong feeling that something is not right within their body. If you or someone you know is experiencing a few of those of these symptoms call 911 immediately. Getting the earliest medical help as soon as possible will save a precious life.

911 Evaluations

After calling 911, the ambulance crew will come to you. After getting your basis health status including checking your blood pressure, taking a pulse, and using a little appliance which goes on your finger to see how much oxygen is in your blood stream they can get you help right away.

If the patient is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, they will give them a spray of nitro, and baby aspirin, which will relieve the symptoms. They will hook the patient up with wires attached to the chest and hook into a machine, which will reveal even more health information. The personnel will also start an IV line, and give the patient oxygen.

Hospital Visit

In the emergency department of your local hospital, blood will be drawn to determine if the Troponin enzyme has been released. The troponin enzyme lives in the cells of the heart, if the enzyme is inside the blood stream then the doctors know that a heart attack has occurred and the patient will be admitted. The patient will be hooked up to an EKG or an EGG machine so the doctors can watch the stats very closely.

Once a patient is settled into a room for an overnight stay, they can expect to under go a few more tests. The doctor may wish an ultrasound of the heart to be completed, to reveal any problems before the heart cath is completed.

A heart cath procedure is when a catheter is inserted in the main vein in your body, which leads to your heart. The insertion area is on the lower stomach where the leg intersects it. A small camera is inserted into the catheter, which allows the doctor to see inside the heart without cutting the patient open. If there is a blockage revealed by the camera the doctor can insert a shunt immediately to repair the blockage.

After the procedure, the patient is taken back to their room and will have to remain flat on their back for at least two hours. Then the patient is allowed to slowly get moving and eat a meal before they are released.

The patient is released after receiving instructions about diet changes, exercise, and of course prescriptions that will keep him or her alive.

Resources:

Personal Experience

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/cad/mi_symptoms.aspx

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4595

http://heartspring.net/heart_attack_symptoms.html

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/911---Warnings-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_305346_SubHomePage.jsp