heart attack Archives - Healthhype

Heart Damage With A Heart Attack (Permanent and Irreversible)

Dr. Chris — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:51:17 +0000

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is the death of a portion of the heart wall when there is an interruption in its blood supply. The heart wall is composed of three layers – the inner lining (endocardium), middle muscle layer (myocardium) and outer lining (epicardium) – and has its own supply of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood via the coronary arteries. There is usually underlying disease of the coronary artery, like atherosclerosis, where fatty plaques build up in the arterial wall. This is known as coronary artery disease and reduces the blood flow to portions of the heart wall. It is often asymptomatic if the extent of occlusion is less than 75% of the diameter of the arterial lumen. However, once there is a severe blockage or total occlusion then there is a wide range of symptoms that arise particularly when the heart muscle needs increased blood flow like during physical activity. This interruption in the blood supply causes muscle injury known as myocardial ischemia but the tissue does not die. It may persist for months or years without a heart attack and is known as ischemic heart disease. Eventually, the fatty plaque may become unstable and possibly rupture. [...]

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8 Heart Attack Tests With Pictures

Dr. Chris — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:56:40 +0000

If you are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack and have to head down to the emergency room, then you know that you will be subjected to several tests to confirm the diagnosis. As scary as a heart attack is, many patients are even more scared of the diagnostic tests and surgery that may follow. But without early medical intervention, death may be knocking on your door – within minutes, hours or even days. It is only once a heart attack or other serious cardiac event is confirmed that your doctor and surgeon will look at taking you into the operating theater. First you have to undergo tests, which could even reveal that your symptoms were not related to a cardiac event that requires surgical intervention. Types of Tests There are several different diagnostic methods that will be employed in order to: Assess the functioning of the heart. Identify abnormalities in blood flow. Isolate damage to the heart muscle or valves. Evaluate the effects of heart problems. These tests may measure electrical activity or chemicals from the heart and utilize sound, radiation or electromagnetic waves to visualize the heart. Some of these tests are non-invasive meaning it does not [...]

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7 Common Heart Problems and Symptoms

Dr. Chris — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 23:59:57 +0000

The heart is a vital organ that needs to be working every minute of every day to sustain life. You can only survive a few minutes at most if your heart stops functioning. And whether you are awake or sleeping, your heart never stops beating. But like any organ in the body, the heart is prone to different types of diseases. All of these heart problems can eventually lead to death if the heart stops functioning. However, modern medicine has now allowed for people to live long and productive lives even with heart problems. Understanding how these heart diseases differ and the symptoms of each can mean early diagnosis and proper treatment. Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease (CAD) or ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the most common heart problems worldwide. The problem lies in the coronary arteries which carry blood to the heart wall. Most of the heart wall is made up of thick muscle which keeps the heart beating. It needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. When the coronary arteries become narrow, the blood carrying oxygen and nutrients is gradually restricted. This narrowing is due to the build up of fatty [...]

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10 Warnings That Your Heart May Be Unhealthy

Dr. Chris — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 21:09:58 +0000

Most heart conditions are said to be silent. This means that a person will experience little to no symptoms at the outset. It can be years or even decades before symptoms develop, and even when it does many people ignore it initially. Often there is no sure way of knowing if you have a heart problem without routine screening and diagnostic investigations which can be expensive. But there may be certain indicators of whether you have an unhealthy heart. Minor signs and symptoms that may be the first signals that all is not well with your ticker. Or factors that could mean that you are at high risk of having certain heart problems or may already have it despite there being no symptoms. Diminishing Stamina Our stamina for physical activity is directly related to our fitness level. But sometimes even the most avid gym and sports enthusiast may have an unhealthy heart. If the heart cannot circulate enough oxygenated blood through your system, you will feel tired. If you have noticed that you get tired more easily, particularly when walking or partaking in other physical activities, it may be a warning that all is not well with your heart. It [...]

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10 Signs That A Heart Attack May Occur Soon

Dr. Chris — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 22:28:09 +0000

A heart attack is the point that is too late. You may survive it. You may return to your normal activities within a few weeks. You may go on to live till a ripe old age. But you would want to avoid a heart attack at any cost. Many heart attack patients will tell you that life changes after the event, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. No matter which way you look at it, prevention is better than cure and it is no different for a heart attack. But it is not always entirely within your hands. A heart attack can occur without any previous symptoms. It can occur even if you have normal blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It can occur even if you are young and have no family history of cardiovascular diseases. But this is rare. In the vast majority of heart attack patients, there was some indication somewhere or other of an impending heart attack or that a person should be considered at high risk of cardiovascular diseases. What are the signs of an impeding heart attack? Most people just do not know how to spot these subtle signs of an impending heart [...]

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Silent Heart Attack

Dr. Chris — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:11:00 +0000

Heart Attack but No Symptoms We all think of a heart attack presenting in a typical manner – the crushing chest pain, severe shortness of breath, dizziness and excessive sweating. These symptoms arise suddenly and are unmistakably due to a heart attack. The first warning signs can help us seek emergency medical attention much earlier thereby improving the chance of survival. However, the situation is not always as straightforward. Imagine having a heart attack and not even knowing it. No typical acute episode where you are grasping your chest and fall to the floor with people scrambling around to get you to the ER. It is possible. In fact in the elderly, it is more common and twice as likely to lead to death than a heart attack with symptom . It is a silent heart attack! Meaning of a Silent Heart Attack The term ‘silent’ when used in medicine means a condition that is asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. This simply means that the typical symptoms associated with certain diseases are not present or are atypical that it goes by unnoticed. A silent heart attack is damage and death of a portion of the heart muscle without the typical heart [...]

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Ischemia, Infarct and Necrosis Definitions and Meaning

Dr. Chris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:12:54 +0000

What is Ischemia? Ischemia is the medical term for an inadequate blood supply to a specific area of the body. This results in a reduced oxygen supply as blood has difficulty in reaching the target tissues or organs. Ischemia can be partial or complete. Partial ischemia may cause hypoxia, which is too little oxygen reaching the area. Complete ischemia results in anoxia, where no oxygen reaches the target area, and if this is not corrected quickly, it will eventually lead to an infarct. Example : Coronary artery disease results in narrowing of the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Less oxygen is able to reach the heart muscle resulting in ischemia which is sometimes experienced as chest pain, known as angina. What is Infarct? Infarct is the when there is death of tissue with surrounding inflammation due to a sudden and complete loss of arterial blood supply. It is often preceded by ischemic injury but if it is gradual and there is only partial ischemia, the body can quickly develop collateral blood supply to the target area. This means that new vessels will branch of from neighboring arteries to carry oxygenated blood to the area. [...]

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Heart Attack Medication, Drugs to Treat a Myocardial Infarction

Dr. Greg — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:17:17 +0000

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is death of a portion of the muscular heart wall as a result of severely reduced blood supply. It is most commonly due to a blockage in the coronary artery which supplies oxygen-rich blood to the heart wall. An occlusion that causes injury but not death to the heart wall over a period of time is known as ischemic heart disease (IHD). With a myocardial infarction, the already occluded coronary artery is suddenly blocked almost completely most often by the formation of a blood clot at the site of the narrowing. Severe pain arises which is not relived by rest or nitrates as is used for the relief of angina. There are prominent ST changes in the ECG and the incident is more accurately described as ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Other indicators may include significantly elevated cardiac markers (enzymes) of ischemia which can be found in the blood STEMI is a medical emergency. Patients are treated with aspirin, beta blockers, nitrates, low molecular weight heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. Other symptoms and complications are also treated appropriately. Strong opioid analgesics like morphine are used to control the pain of myocardial infarction. Fear and apprehension [...]

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Emergency Care and Hospital Treatment for a Heart Attack

Dr. Alison — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:15:42 +0000

The signs and symptoms of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) often leads to panic, both on the part of the person having the heart attack and those around them. However, early intervention, even by a person with basic emergency care knowledge, can save the life of the heart attack patient. Recognizing the early features of a heart attack and immediately calling for emergency medical services can ensure that that early treatment will reduce or even prevent the damage to the heart muscle. Emergency Care (Pre-Hospital Care) Chest pain should never be ignored since it might herald a heart attack. If attended to at the earliest possible stage, it can save the person’s life and prevent extensive damage to the heart muscle. A person who suspects that he/she is having a heart attack or any individual witnessing such an event should immediately call 911 or the local emergency number. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be started immediately after calling 911 in case the person is unconscious and unresponsive. The patient should be transported to the hospital in an ambulance. A type of arrhythmia known as ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most common cause of death in the initial stages of myocardial infarction. [...]

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Diagnosing a Myocardial Infarction – Is it a heart attack?

Dr. Chris — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:09:34 +0000

A myocardial infarction (MI) or heart attack occurs when there is a blockage in one of the arteries supplying the heart (coronary arteries). This may lead to death or permanent damage to the heart muscles (myocardium). A heart attack is a very common medical emergency. Recognition of the symptoms early, prompt emergency care, and appropriate medical treatment can save a life as well as limit myocardial damage. However, the presentation of an MI is sometimes confused with other common conditions that mimic some of the key features of a heart attack. Therefore it is important to differentiate between a heart attack and other, often non-cardiac, disorders. Nevertheless, those who are at a high risk of a heart attack need to be cautious and immediately seek treatment. This includes any person with known coronary artery disease, over the age of 45 years, overweight or obese, cigarette smoking, with a history of high blood lipids (hyperlipidemia) and/or hypertension and other underlying conditions like diabetes mellitus. Heart Attack vs Gas or Acid Reflux It is not uncommon for certain gastrointestinal conditions, like excessive gas, gastritis or acid reflux, to be mistaken for cardiac pain. Although there are a few key similarities, overall the [...]

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