Heart attack: Symptoms, causes, & treatment

Overview

Heart attacks, medically known as myocardial infarctions, are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting millions each year.

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), cardiovascular disease kills an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, making it the leading cause of death globally. More than 4 out of 5 cardiovascular disease(CVD) deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.

Despite their prevalence, many people remain unaware of the warning signs, risk factors, and preventive measures that can make a life-saving difference.

In this blog, we’ll dive into what a heart attack is, explore the causes and symptoms, and discuss how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from this potentially fatal event.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood flow to part of the heart is severely reduced or blocked due to blockage in one or more of your heart’s arteries.

As blood transports oxygen, when a heart attack occurs it also blocks oxygen supply to the heart, thus reducing oxygen level in the body.

The affected heart muscle will begin to die without blood flow. Hence, a heart attack can cause permanent heart damage or death if you don’t get blood flow back quickly.

A heart attack is a life-threatening condition. Prompt treatment is needed for a heart attack to prevent death. Call 911 or your local emergency medical helpline number if you think you or someone is having a heart attack.

Time is critical in treating a heart attack. A delay of even a few minutes can result in permanent heart damage or death.

Symptoms

Heart attack can have many symptoms. Some people can experience mild symptoms while some people can experience severe symptoms. However, some people have no symptoms.

Common heart attack symptoms include:

• Chest pain or feeling tightness, pressure, squeezing, or aching in the chest
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Cold sweat
• Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
• Feeling difficulty in sleeping(Insomnia)

Symptoms experienced by males and females can be different. Women may have atypical symptoms such as sharp pain in the neck, arms, shoulders, and back. Women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, fatigue, and insomnia as warning signs of heart attack rather than chest pain.

Causes

Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of a heart attack. In coronary heart disease, one or more of the arteries near the heart get completely or partially blocked, thus obstructing blood flow to the heart.

This blockage is usually due to the build-up of plaque inside the arteries. A plaque is a sticky substance made up of cholesterol and other substances, causing narrowing of arteries.

Sometimes, plaque deposits inside the coronary arteries can break open or rupture, causing blood clots in the heart. If these blood clots block the artery, it can cause a heart attack.

However, heart attacks are also possible without ruptured plaque but it is rare and only accounts for about 5% of all heart attacks.

Other less common causes are:

• Coronary artery spasm
• Certain infections
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection

Risk factors:

• Age: Your risk of heart attack increases as you get older. Men aged 45 and older and women aged 55 and older are more likely to have a heart attack than younger men and women.

• High blood pressure: In the long term, high blood pressure can damage arteries, leading to heart attack.

• High cholesterol or triglycerides: The risk of a heart attack increases if you have a high level of LDL cholesterol(bad cholesterol), as they can narrow the arteries. Moreover, a high level of triglycerides also increases the heart attack risk.

• Obesity: Obesity significantly increases the risk of heart attacks as it is linked with hypertension(high blood pressure), diabetes, high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and high triglycerides, all of which contribute to heart disease.

• Diabetes: Diabetes significantly increases the risk of a heart attack due to several physiological changes and complications associated with the disease such as high blood sugar levels, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

• Lack of exercise: A lack of physical activity increases the risk of a heart attack by contributing to obesity, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance.

• Unhealthy diet: Taking a highly processed diet that is high in sugars, fats, oils, salts, and additives such as food color and artificial sweeteners increases the risk of heart attack.

• Family history of a heart attack: If your parents or siblings have a history of a heart attack, especially at a younger age, you might be at increased risk.

• Unhealthy lifestyle: Living an unhealthy lifestyle that includes high levels of stress, smoking, drinking, and illegal drug use significantly increases the risk of a heart attack.

Complications

• Abnormal heart rhythms(arrhythmias)
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Cardiac arrest(when a heart stops working)
• Depression and anxiety
• Cardiogenic shock

Treatment

Treating a heart attack requires immediate medical attention. Here’s an overview of the standard treatment process:

Immediate action:

1. Call Emergency Services (911 or your local emergency number): If you suspect a heart attack, seek emergency medical help immediately.
2. Chew Aspirin: While waiting for emergency responders, chew a regular-strength aspirin (325 mg) to help thin the blood, unless you are allergic or have been advised against it.
3. CPR: If the person is unconscious and not breathing, begin CPR. If you’re untrained in CPR, do hands-on CPR. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest 100-120 times a minute until the medical team arrives, or until someone replaces you without stopping the compressions. If you’re trained in CPR, start with 30 chest compressions before giving two rescue breaths. Follow the instructions from emergency responders over the phone.

In the hospital:

1. Medications:

• Thrombolytics (Clot-busting Drugs): Administered to dissolve the clot causing the heart attack.
• Antiplatelet Agents: Antiplatelet agents such as aspirin are used to prevent further clotting.
• Nitroglycerin: To reduce the heart’s workload and improve blood flow.
• Beta Blockers: To slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure.
• ACE Inhibitors: To help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
• Statins: To lower cholesterol levels.

2. Medical Procedures:

• Angioplasty and Stenting: A catheter is inserted into the blocked artery, a balloon is inflated to open the artery, and a stent is placed to keep it open.
• Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: In severe cases, surgeons may create a new path for blood to flow to the heart muscle by bypassing the blocked artery.

Post-treatment care:

1. Cardiac Rehabilitation: A supervised program including exercise, education, and counseling to improve heart health and prevent future heart attacks.

2. Lifestyle Changes:

• Diet: Adopt a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium.
• Exercise: Regular physical activity as recommended by your healthcare provider.
• Quit Smoking: If you smoke, quitting is crucial for heart health.
• Manage Stress: Learn stress management techniques like relaxation exercises, meditation, or yoga.
• Medications: Continue taking prescribed medications to manage heart health and prevent complications.

Follow-Up Care:

Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider are essential to monitor your heart health and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Prevention

There are many ways to lower the risk of a heart attack, even after having one heart attack by following a healthy lifestyle that includes:

• Eat a heart-healthy diet: Take a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. These diets help you prevent a heart attack and improve your heart health.

• Regular exercise: Regular exercise, for at least 30 minutes a day, can significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack.

• Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight is linked with high blood pressure which is a risk factor for a heart attack. So maintaining a healthy weight is essential for preventing the heart attack.

• Reduce stress: Practice techniques such as yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation to reduce stress.

• Avoid ultra-processed foods: Avoid ultra-processed foods that contain high amounts of added sugars, salts, oils, unhealthy fats, and additives to maintain good heart health.

• Manage your current health conditions: Managing your current health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels is essential for reducing the risk of heart attacks.

The Bottom Line

The case of heart attacks and deaths associated with it is increasing day by day. However, with the correct lifestyle, one can reduce the risk or prevent a heart attack.

Correct lifestyles include a healthy diet, regular exercise, reducing stress, avoiding unhealthy foods and unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking alcohol.

Take proactive steps today to protect yourself and your loved ones from this silent but serious threat.