A heart attack is a scary experience. If you`ve had a heart attack or are close to someone who has had a heart attack, here`s what you need to know: You`re not alone. In fact, tens of thousands of people survive heart attacks and lead productive, comfortable lives. When a heart attack occurs, blood flow to a part of your heart stops or is much lower than normal, causing injury or death to that part of your heart muscle. If part of your heart can`t pump because it dies from lack of blood flow, it can disrupt the pumping sequence for your entire heart. This reduces or even stops blood flow to the rest of your body, which can be fatal if not corrected quickly. It`s never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack, even if you`ve already had one. Here are ways to prevent a heart attack. Providers restore blood flow to your affected heart muscle with a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This uses a catheter-based device that is inserted into a large blood vessel (usually near your thigh or wrist). The heart muscle begins to heal shortly after a heart attack.
It usually takes about eight weeks to heal. Signs and symptoms of heart attack in men and women: chest pain or discomfort; Brevity; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arm or shoulder; Nausea, dizziness or unusual fatigue. If you have had a heart attack, your heart may be damaged. This could affect the heartbeat and its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. You may also be at risk for another heart attack or conditions such as stroke, kidney disease, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). As you work toward recovery, frequently asked questions can help you better understand what happened and how your heart can heal. Knowledge is power. Arming yourself with this information can help you live longer, healthier lives. A heart attack occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood in one or more of the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle is suddenly blocked and a section of the heart muscle cannot get enough oxygen.
Blockage is usually caused when a plate ruptures. If blood flow is not restored quickly, either by a drug that resolves the blockage or by a catheter in the artery that physically opens the blockage, the section of the heart muscle begins to die. Complications of a heart attack can be serious and life-threatening. A heart attack occurs when an artery that sends blood and oxygen to the heart is blocked. Fatty deposits containing cholesterol build up over time, forming plaques in the arteries of the heart. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form. The clot can block the arteries and cause a heart attack. During a heart attack, a lack of blood circulation causes the heart muscle tissue to die. You will have an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for heart damage. Often, certain changes in the ECG indicate that you are having a heart attack, although a heart attack can occur even without ECG changes. In addition, you will continue to take medication – some of which you received for immediate treatment of your heart attack – long-term.
These include: Some people may also undergo coronary bypass surgery on the heart to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. This procedure is also known as coronary artery bypass grafting or open heart surgery. American Heart Association 800-242-8721 inquiries@heart.org www.heart.org Women may experience atypical symptoms such as short or sharp pain in the neck, arm, or back. Sometimes the first symptom of a heart attack is sudden cardiac arrest. Many risk factors can lead to plaque buildup and heart attack. NSTEMI: An unelevated myocardial infarction in the ST segment, a type of heart attack in which an artery is partially blocked, significantly reducing blood flow. Such a network of nearby dilated blood vessels is called collateral circulation and helps protect some people from heart attacks by supplying the necessary blood to the heart. Collateral circulation can also develop after a heart attack to help the heart muscle recover. A heart attack, also called myocardial infarction, occurs when part of the heart muscle does not receive enough blood. Heart muscle damaged by a heart attack heals by forming scar tissue. It usually takes several weeks for your heart muscle to heal.
The duration depends on the extent of your injury and your own healing rate. Your performance after a heart attack depends on several factors, such as: This video explores symptoms, surgical treatments, and the importance of reducing heart attack risk factors. A heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to part of your heart muscle is suddenly blocked. Your heart can`t get enough oxygen. If blood flow is not restored quickly, the heart muscle begins to die. A heart attack can cause cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest (also called sudden cardiac death or sickle cell disease) occurs when the heart suddenly stops working properly. This is caused by irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Recovery of treatments also varies depending on the treatment method. The average hospital stay for a heart attack is between four and five days. In general, expect to stay in the hospital for the following time: scar tissue can form in the damaged area, and this scar tissue does not contract or pump as well as healthy muscle tissue. As a result, the extent of damage to the heart muscle can affect how the heart pumps blood throughout the body.
Coronary thrombosis: formation of a clot in one of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Also called coronary occlusion. A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. PCI is an important tool for restoring blood flow, and the sooner this happens, the better the chances of getting a good result. Hospitals use a measure called “door-to-balloon time” to measure their ability to treat a heart attack. This is the average time it takes people to undergo PKI after arriving at the emergency room. PCI often involves placing a stent at the site of the blockage to keep the artery open so that another blockage does not occur in the same place.
If you have ever had a heart attack, your doctor will recommend a cardiac rehabilitation program. The goals of this program are to reduce the likelihood of a second heart attack. These medically supervised programs offer guidance and focus on the same healthy living goals listed above. Coronary artery disease is a condition in which the major blood vessels that supply the heart become blocked by cholesterol deposits called plaques. Immediate treatment is needed for a heart attack to avoid death. Call 911 or emergency medical help if you think you are having a heart attack. After a heart attack, you are more likely to have another heart attack. Most heart attacks are caused by coronary artery disease. Your age, lifestyle and other medical conditions can increase your risk of heart attack.