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A heart attack occurs when there’s a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart, this blocks blood flow to the heart and typically results in the death of the heart tissue. Although anyone can suffer a heart attack, certain factors increase the chances in some people. Obese people, young or old, are susceptible to heart problems, while smoking and other unhealthy habits contribute too. It is advisable to adhere to a healthy lifestyle so as to prevent heart attack, heart attacks could be fatal, and they can lead to stroke and cause death.

Causes and Risk Factors

Genetics: Research has shown that those who have ancestral relatives that had a heart attack are more likely to suffer from one.

Obesity: Being overweight can put extra pressure on your organs, make fat cells wrap around them and make breathing and living extra hard. Obesity is a leading cause of heart attack.

Heart Surgery: Having surgery anywhere near the heart can cause a heart attack in the future.

Hypertension: Those who suffer from hypertension are at a huge risk of suffering a heart attack. Adequate management of hypertension is vital to avoid a heart attack.

Age: Majority of those who suffer heart attacks are 40 years and above, we become more likely to suffer a heart attack with every age we add.

Diabetes: High blood sugar is a killer that is directly linked with many fatal conditions, including heart attack.

Angina: This is also known as chest pain that occurs when fatty build-up blocks blood flow to the heart, causing sharp pain in the chest. Frequent chest pain can lead to a heart attack.

Diet: A major factor that needs extra attention is nutrition. Certain foods decrease the quality of health with every consumption. Saturated oil, sugar, preservatives, and additives significantly increase the risk of heart-related diseases. Eating heart healthy foods like the acai berry can help you age well and avoid future problems.

Smoking: This killer habit damages the lining of arteries, increasing the chances of angina and heart attack.

High Cholesterol Level: Excess cholesterol in the body builds up in the arteries and can trigger a heart attack.

Alcohol: Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack.

Symptoms that Spots a Heart Attack

A heart attack happens so fast it may be hard to react, but if you are lucky enough you can feel the symptoms before the attack, this will significantly improve your chance of surviving as you may have ample time to call for assistance. The following could be a sign you are about to have a heart attack:

Angina: Pain in the chest is the most common symptom of heart attack, it is a sharp, deep-reaching pain, call emergency whenever you feel a sudden sharp pain to your chest.

Shortness of Breath: If you feel like something is stifling your attempt to breathe, causing shortness of breath, reach out for help immediately.

Nausea: Heart attack is sometimes characterized by a sudden nauseating sick feeling. If you feel sick out of nowhere, it might be the presence of a heart condition.

Sweating: If you begin to sweat profusely in an adequately ventilated environment, call for help.

Light Headedness: A feeling of dizziness that precedes fainting is a common symptom of a heart attack. The blockage of oxygen supply to the brain makes the brain to cease working and causes the fainting.

Stroke: A blood clot that travels from the heart to the brain can cause partial or total paralysis.

Snoring: It is a sleeping disorder that reduces sleep quality and has been directly linked with heart conditions.

Pain in the Arm and Back: Angina is not restricted to the chest, some angina radiates to the arm and the back causing severe back or arm pain.

Stomach Pain: Angina can hit the stomach sometimes rather than the chest.

Fatigue: If you are feeling tired without doing much, it could be a sign of an impending heart attack.

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Prevention of a Heart Attack

Most prevention efforts needed to prevent heart attack revolves around a healthy lifestyle. Others are just additions. A very healthy lifestyle can help you avoid heart attack completely. You have a high chance of preventing a heart attack as outlined below:

Don’t Smoke: It is never too late to quit, quitting smoking now could make all the difference in preventing heart-related issues.

Eat Healthily: Always endeavor to eat a balanced diet of adequate protein, moderate carbohydrates, natural fruits, adequate vitamins, and minerals. Avoid sugar and unhealthy oil. You might want to switch to a Mediterranean diet that ensures every meal is a healthy meal. People who stick to a Mediterranean diet for a long period are less likely to suffer a heart attack and usually live long.

Lose Excess Weight: Excess body mass is a significant cause of heart attack, losing excess weight is one of the first steps to healthy living.

Exercise: Lack of physical activity increases the chances of heart diseases, integrate regular exercise into your daily schedule.

Adequate Sleep: Sleep heals and repairs, it also helps with weight loss, adequate sleep can help prevent heart attack. Seven to eight hours of sleep is what is adequate for an adult.

Moderate Alcohol: There is nothing bad about alcohol consumption if you save it for occasions, regular excessive consumption can expose you to heart-related issues.

Avoid Stress: Accumulated physical and emotional stress can cause a heart attack. It is normal to suffer stress from work or relationships but avoid stress build-up. Exercise, meditation, and yoga are a few natural ways of curing stress.

Management of Heart Attack

Heart attack treatments depend on the severity and the patient’s health history. Types of treatment available for heart attack include the following:

Defibrillation: This method of treatment uses electric shock to correct heart rhythm.

Cardiac Rehabilitation: It is a set of post-attack activities that includes healthy lifestyle changes and offers needed support for heart condition patients.

Surgery: If needed, surgery might be conducted to improve blood flow to the heart.

A heart attack is a sudden attack that leaves the patient a little room for reacting, ability to spot an early warning sign can help the patient prevent a fatal experience. An isolated person suffering from a heart attack has a great chance of suffering stroke or even death.

Calling for immediate help at the first feeling of heart attack symptoms is crucial. Heart attack symptoms include chest pain, sleeping disorders like snoring, lightheadedness, and sweating. Switching to a healthy lifestyle is the most critical step in prevention and control. It includes healthy eating, losing excess weight, and dropping bad habits like smoking and drinking.

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Click on the link below to find the best cardiologists near you.

 

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