Heart Attack

HEART ATTACK

A heart attack occurs when there is a sudden, complete blockage of an artery that supplies blood to the heart.
As a result, some of the heart muscle begins to die.
With out early medical treatment this damage can be permanent.

What Causes a Heart Attack?

The heart is a muscular pump that needs a continuous supply of oxygen.
It obtains oxygen from the blood, which flows to the heart muscle through arteries on the heart surface.
These arteries are called the coronary arteries.
The main cause of the heart attack is coronary heart disease where there is a slow build-up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood.
These fatty deposits, called plaque this gradually clogs and narrows the inside channel of the arteries, it starts early in life and continues over the years.
A heart attack starts when plaque cracks.
Blood cells stick over the damaged area and form a clot that block the blood flow to the heart muscle.

Symptoms of Heart Attack:

Here are some signs you can’t ignore:

Chest discomfort
Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
Breaking out in cold sweat
Nausea
Light headedness
40% of the people having a first time heart attack are unaware they have a problem


Diagnosis:

If you think that you have a heart attack there are some test you can do
These tests may include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG) which is an electrical leads are placed on your chest, arms and legs
Blood test
Chest X-ray
Angiogram- a special X-ray that shows wether your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked.this test can be done under a local anaesthetic.





Treatment:

In the case of a heart attack it is important that the blood low is restored quickly by:

Fibrinolysis a clot dissolving medication
Angioplasty and stent implantation restores blood uses a special balloon to open a blocked artery from the inside
Bypass surgery is an operation in which blood flow is redirected around a narrowed area in one or more of the coronary arteries, allowing blood to flow more freely to the heart muscle
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) which is a small device can be implanted in the chest and connected to the heart to develop normal heart beats


Managing Heart Attack:

The most important things you can do to reduce your risk are:

· Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor
· Be smoke free
· Enjoy healthy eating
· Be physically active
· Control blood pressure
· Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
· If you have diabetes, you should also aim to keep your blood glucose levels within the normal range
· Cardiac rehabilitation - provide you and your family with education, information, physical activity programs and support

My Statement:
Heart problems are common in Australia and around the World but with a little bit of effort and knowledge we can prevent heart attack so please take care of your self and your family by following a healthy diet with some exercises. I hope that my research was beneficial for you and thank you for your time.

References
Brochure on heart attacks from the doctor’s surgery.
www.heartattackfacts
www.heartfoundation.org.au

May