A heart attack is when part of the heart muscle is cut off from oxygen. If the oxygen isn’t restored soon, a heart attack occurs. The blood in your coronary arteries carries oxygen to the heart muscle. Most heart attacks occur when a blockage slows or stops blood flow. Heart attack is sometimes called myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndrome. Heart attacks are often treatable when diagnosed quickly. However, they can be fatal.
Women are less likely to survive heart attacks than men. No one knows why. It may be that women don’t seek or receive treatment as soon as men. Their symptoms can be different from what men experience. Their symptoms may be subtler and more often overlooked. Or it may be because women’s smaller hearts and blood vessels are more easily damaged. Doctors are working on finding answers to these questions. It’s important to prevent heart problems before they start.
The most common symptoms of heart attack in both men and women include:
Other symptoms could include:
The most common heart attack symptom for women is pain or discomfort in the chest. Women are more likely to have a heart attack without having any chest pain. Therefore, women should pay close attention to other symptoms of heart attack. These include shortness of breath, sweating, fatigue, and dizziness.
If you think you may be having a heart attack, get treatment right away. Follow these steps:
A heart attack occurs when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies from lack of oxygen. When a blockage occurs in your coronary arteries, blood and oxygen don’t get to the heart. This can lead to a heart attack if it isn’t treated quickly
Most heart attacks are a result of coronary heart or artery disease. A waxy substance called plaque builds up in the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis. It takes years for the plaque to build up. When the plaque breaks up, it travels through the blood stream. This creates blood clots. The clots slow or stop blood flow to the heart. Then the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen. The tissue not receiving the oxygen begins to die.
Risk factors for a heart attack include:
A less common cause of heart attack is a severe spasm, or tightening, of a coronary artery. This can happen in an artery that doesn’t have plaque build-up. Instead, the tightening cuts off the blood flow. Spasms aren’t as well understood as a cause for heart attack. They seem to be related to:
You may need several tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Other tests your doctor may want you to have include:
A healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart attacks. This includes:
I’m a woman. Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduce my risk for heart disease?
HRT is used to treat the symptoms of menopause. However, new studies have shown that HRT actually does more harm to your heart than good. If you’re taking HRT to help prevent heart disease, talk to your doctor about whether you should stop.
Your treatment will depend on what is causing your symptoms. If you have an acute case of angina (chest pain), your doctor will probably give you nitroglycerin and aspirin. Nitroglycerin improves blood flow to your heart. It can temporarily relieve your symptoms by widening the arteries that carry blood to the heart.
Nitroglycerin improves blood flow to your heart. It can temporarily relieve your symptoms by widening the arteries that carry blood to the heart.
If you are having a heart attack, your doctor can:
Your doctor will prescribe the medicines that are right for you. If you have had a heart attack, your doctor will also talk to you about lifestyle changes. You can make these changes to prevent more heart problems.
Before you leave the hospital, your doctor may talk to you about a cardiac rehabilitation program. These programs provide information that will help you understand your risk factors. It will help you live a healthy lifestyle that can prevent future heart problems. You will learn about exercise and diet, and how to reach and maintain a healthy weight.You will also learn ways to control your stress level, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol levels.
Your cardiac rehabilitation program will probably start while you are still in the hospital. After you leave the hospital, your rehabilitation will continue in a rehab center. The rehab center may be at the hospital or in another location.
Most cardiac rehabilitation programs last 3 to 6 months. Your doctor will talk to you about how often you need to attend the program. Once you enrol in a cardiac rehabilitation program, regular attendance is important. The more lifestyle changes you make, the better your chances of preventing future heart problems.
The sooner you get medical help, the greater your chances of surviving a heart attack. Do not delay getting immediate medical attention if you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.
After you’ve had a heart attack, you are at higher risk of having another one. Your doctor will likely recommend heart-healthy lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk. They include:
Symptoms during a second heart attack may be different from the first one. If you have any new symptoms of a heart attack or are in any doubt, call 911. Early treatment is the key to surviving a heart attack.
If you have had a heart attack, your doctor will probably want you to take certain medicines for a long time. This can help reduce your risk of more heart problems. Your doctor can answer your questions about these medicines. He or she can tell you the benefits and risks of taking them.
Depression is common after a heart attack. As many as 1 out of every 3 people who have had a heart attack report feelings of depression. People with a higher risk of depression after a heart attack include:
Many people who have depression don’t recognize it. They don’t seek help or get treatment. Being depressed can make it harder for you to recover physically. Depression can be treated.
Some people have anxiety after a heart attack, fearing it will happen again. Talk to your doctor about your feelings so that you can manage or reduce your anxiety.