Heart Attack – Signs, symptoms and emergency treatment
Medically known as myocardial infarction, the condition of heart attack is one of the most common ailments, prevalent among the current generation adults, and even many teenagers. While the condition of heart attack among adults occurs prominently in those adults who suffer other medical complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels or simply high age, among children and teenagers, it might happen due to bad cholesterol levels and obesity, caused by improper eating habits or even smoking and alcohol consumption.
Following are the most common symptoms and early signs of a heart attack which usually occurs among people of all age groups:-
Pressure in chest – If one feels immediate and abrupt pain in the areas surrounding his/her heart, and that prominently includes upper chest, it is considered to be one of the clearest early signs of a heart attack.
Pain in other parts of the upper body – Apart from the chest, there are other parts of the upper body where pain can happen in the circumstance of a heart attack. These parts of the upper body include upper back, chest and shoulders, and this kind of pain occurs more prominently in women as compared to men.
Lack of breath – If someone is suddenly feeling shortness while breathing, chances are that it happens due to an incoming condition of heart attack, as the flow of blood and eventually oxygen gets disrupted.
Sweating – The lack of flow of oxygen and blood can also be determined if someone suddenly starts sweating abruptly, without any heavy physical activity. This kind of heavy sweating is followed by chest pain, which is a clear indication of a heart attack.
Nausea – While there are many reasons why common nausea occurs to a human, if someone is feeling nausea on a sudden basis, without any major physical activity or body movement, it can lead to heart attack in a couple of minutes.
Vomiting – In the condition of a heart attack, a person might start vomiting, which is usually followed by nausea or severe pain in the chest, and this condition might occur hours after eating something as well.
Anxiety – While anxiety is a common phenomenon among individuals who usually take stress, if a person suddenly starts feeling anxious, which can lead to nausea or chest pain, it is also considered to be an oncoming sign of a heart attack.
Dizziness – Dizziness is usually confused with headache or nausea, but it actually differs from both of them. A person might undergo dizziness followed by nausea or vomiting if he/she is facing the consequences of a blocked artery, obstructing the flow of oxygen.
Sudden increase in heart rate – While a sudden increase in the pace of heartbeat is a common phenomenon while doing a cardiovascular exercise like running or cycling, if someone is sitting or lying idle and his heartbeat increases suddenly, it is considered to be an early sign of a heart attack.
While the condition of heart attack is a serious ailment, if treated with immediate effect and time, it can be treated perfectly. Here are the following kinds of treatments usually followed after a person suffers from heart attack:-
Angioplasty – In this operation, the blocked artery is treated by removing the plaque built up inside it with the help of a balloon.
Heart bypass surgery – It is one of the most complex treatments when it comes to cardiovascular operations, and requires a lot of time and careful inspection. In this, the flow of blood is rerouted around the area/artery where the blockage of flow of blood has occurred.
Heart valve surgery – If the blockage of flow of blood happens inside the valves of heart and not arteries, the heart valve surgery is conducted to replace the leaky valves, in order to facilitate the pumping action of heart.
Heart transplant – If the heart of the person suffered from a heart attack has damaged beyond the boundaries of repairing or operation, his/her heart needs to be replaced completely. This condition usually occurs when heart attack permanently damages the tissues of the heart of the concerned person.
Pacemaker – A pacemaker is a device which is planted beneath the skin of the affected person. This is done in order to regain the regular rhythm of the heart-beat of the affected person.
In case of a heart attack, the affected person has to be immediately rushed to a hospital, seeking proper medication and further possibilities of operation by a trained cardiologist.