Dr. MJ Bazos MD,
Patient Handout
Heart Attack: Warning
Signs and Tips on Prevention
What is a heart
attack?
A heart attack (also called myocardial
infarction) is when part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because it isn't
receiving oxygen. Oxygen is carried to the heart by the arteries (blood
vessels). Most heart attacks are caused by a blockage in these arteries. Usually
the blockage is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty
deposits (called plaque) inside the artery. This buildup is like the gunk that
builds up in a drainpipe and slows the flow of water.
Heart attacks can also be caused by a blood clot
that gets stuck in a narrow part of an artery to the heart. Clots are more
likely to form where atherosclerosis has made an artery more
narrow.
How do I know if
I'm having a heart attack?
The pain of a heart attack can feel like bad
heartburn. You may also be having a heart attack if you:
- Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest,
sometimes with sweating, nausea or vomiting.
- Feel pain that extends from your chest into the
jaw, left arm or left shoulder.
- Feel tightness in your chest.
- Have shortness of breath for more than a couple
of seconds.
Don't ignore the
pain or discomfort. If you think you are having heart problems or a heart
attack, get help immediately. The sooner you get treatment, the greater the
chance that the doctors can prevent further damage to the heart
muscle.
What should I do
If I think I am having a heart attack?
Right away, call for an ambulance to take you to
the hospital. While you wait for the ambulance to come, chew one regular tablet
of aspirin. Don't take the aspirin if you're allergic to
aspirin.
If you can, go to a hospital with advanced care
facilities for people with heart attacks. In these medical centers, the latest
heart attack technology is available 24 hours a day. This technology includes
rapid thrombolysis (using medicines called "clot busters"), cardiac
catheterization and angioplasty.
In the hospital, you might be given "clot
busters" that reopen the arteries to your heart very fast. Nurses and
technicians will place an IV line (intravenous line) in your arm to give you
medicines. They will also do an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), give you oxygen
to breathe and watch your heart rate and rhythm on a monitor.
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Risk factors for a heart
attack
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol level
- High blood pressure
- Family history of heart attack
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- Lack of exercise
- Obesity
- Male sex
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How can I avoid
having a heart attack?
Talk to your family doctor about your specific
risk factors (see box above) for a heart attack and how to reduce your risk.
Your doctor may tell you to do the following:
- Quit smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you
don't smoke, don't start!)
- Eat a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in
saturated fat and sodium (salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Ask
your doctor about how to start eating a healthy diet.
- If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar.
- Exercise. This sounds hard if you haven't
exercised for a while, but try to work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic
exercise (that raises your heart rate) at least 4 times a week.
- If you're overweight, lose weight. Your doctor
can advise you about the best ways to lose weight.
- If you have hypertension, control your blood
pressure.
Talk to your doctor
about whether aspirin would help reduce your risk of a heart attack. Aspirin can
help keep your blood from forming clots that can eventually block the
arteries.