The heart attack is when the Arteries supply it with oxygen-rich blood so that it can contract and push blood to the rest of the body. When there isn’t enough oxygen flow to a muscle, its function begins to suffer. Block the oxygen supply completely, and the muscle starts to die.
Over time, plaque can build up along the course of an artery and narrow the channel through which blood flows. Plaque is made up of cholesterol buildup and eventually may calcify or harden, with calcium deposits. If the artery becomes too narrow, it cannot supply enough blood to the heart muscle when it becomes stressed
Heart Attack Symptoms and Signs of a Heart Attack!
• Chest pain associated with shortness of breath,
• Profuse sweating
• Nausea.
The chest pain may be described as tightness, fullness, a pressure, or an ache.
Unfortunately, many people do not have these classic signs. Other signs and symptoms of heart attack may include:
• Indigestion,
• Jaw ache,
• Pain only in the shoulders or arms,
• Shortness of breath, or
• Nausea and vomiting.
Heart Attack Risk Factors
A heart attack is most often caused by narrowing of the arteries by cholesterol plaque and their subsequent rupture. This is known as atherosclerotic heart disease (AHSD) or coronary artery disease (CAD).
The risk factors for AHSD are the same as those for stroke (cerebrovascular disease) or peripheral vascular disease. These risk factors include:
• family history or heredity,
• cigarette smoking,
• high blood pressure,
• high cholesterol, and
• diabetes.
When to Seek Medical Care
Chest pain is almost always considered an emergency. Aside from heart attacks, pulmonary embolus (blood clot in the lung) and aortic dissection or tear can be fatal causes of chest pain.
Classic pain is described as chest pressure or tightness with radiation of the pain to the jaw and down the arm, accompanied by shortness of breath or sweating. But it is important to remember that heart problems may not always present as pain or with the classic symptoms. Indigestion, nausea, profound weakness, profuse sweating, or shortness of breath may be the main symptom of a heart attack.
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