A heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction or MI) happens if the blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off. Blood clot in a coronary artery suddenly blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, causing the heart muscle cells to die. The blood clot usually forms inside a coronary artery at the site of an atherosclerotic plaque. The most common complications of a heart attack are heart failure and ventricular fibrillation. The risk factors for heart attack include high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, physical activity, unhealthy diet, obesity, and a family history of heart attacks at an early age.
A heart attack patient should receive treatment immediately to restore blood flow because oxygen deprivation can lead to permanent damage to the heart within hours or even minutes. Therefore, it is also important to recognize the signs or symptoms of a heart attack so that prompt treatment can be given to the patient as soon as possible. This will increase a patient’s chances of surviving a heart attack.
The symptoms of heart attack can be vague and mild. Heart attacks may start slowly and a patient may not be sure of what is happening. Even patients often attribute heart attack symptoms to other problems like indigestion, fatigue, or stress, and consequently delay seeking prompt medical treatment. The most common symptom of heart attack is chest pain, but the symptoms may vary among individuals. Here are some symptoms of heart attack:
- Pain, fullness, and/or squeezing sensation of the chest.
- Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
- Shortness of breath.
- Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.
- Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder.
- Heartburn or feeling of indigestion.
- Sweating
- General malaise (vague feeling of illness).
- Nausea or vomiting.
- No symptoms. Silent heart attacks are especially common among patients with diabetes mellitus.
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