A lack of blood supply causes an injury to the heart muscle and creates a heart attack, and in many cases this proves to be a fatal event. Heart attacks are often the result of a blood clot that can not pass through the arteries of the heart, creating a blockage that prevents blood from flowing into the heart muscle. The injury can range from mild to severe, and sometimes proves fatal.
More and more patients are surviving heart attacks due to increased public awareness, technological advancements, and medical accuracy. Heart attacks were once considered over 80% fatal.
Not all heart attacks are complete with drama and chest grabbing and the way they are portrayed in the media. Many heart attacks happen without symptoms. Other heart attacks may produce symptoms such as chest pain, chest pressure, lightheadedness, fainting, pain and pressure that extend through the shoulder, arms, back, teeth, and jaw, prolonged periods of pain in the abdomen, periods of chest pain that increase in severity and longevity, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and a sense of doom or that something is very wrong. Most patients who are about to experience a heart attack feel generally ill for minutes, hours, or even days beforehand.
The heart is responsible for pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood through the body. The blood travels through the body and delivers oxygen to throughout and returns to pick up more oxygenated blood. If the arteries or blood vessels become constricted or blocked by a blood clot, the blood can no longer pass through freely to the heart. The lack of blood to the heart causes injury to the heart cells, and the patient has a heart attack. In medical terms, this is known as a myocardial infarction. The constriction of blood vessels can be caused by narrowing of the blood vessels via the build up of plaque along the inner side of the blood vessels. In some instances, it can also be caused by the build of cholesterol which is deposited inside the blood vessel.
Risk factors for heart attacks include the use of tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars, high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, high levels of triglycerides (a blood fat related to dietary intake) as well as alcohol usage, diabetes, obesity, lack of physical exercise, stress, and elevated levels of homocysteine, C reactive protein, and fibrinogen. Nearly all risk factors for heart attacks are controllable factors, which mean patients can intervene before a heart attack occurs. However, patients without any risk factors have been known to have heart attacks as well.
Screening for risk factors concerning heart attacks is common during every routine physical examination. If a patient suspects he or she is having a heart attack, they should seek immediate medical attention. In a hospital setting, tests such as electrocardiograms and blood tests can help determine if a heart attack is happening or has recently occurred. Coronary catheterizations, imaging techniques, and nuclear scans can determine how severe the heart attack may have been and whether there was any damage done to the heart. In some cases, if the heart was forced to go without blood for a long period of time, the cells die and form scar tissue on the heart. The scar tissue creates more difficulty for the heart to pump blood.
Abnormal heart rhythms, heart tissue scarring, valve irregularities, ruptured heart tissue, and heart failure can all be common complications when recovering from a heart attack. Heart attack damage can be permanent, and can lead to lifestyle difficulties, repeated heart attacks, and death.
It is commonly known that administering aspirin in the correct dosage during a heart attack can help alleviate the heart attack and reduce the chances for symptoms. However, it is important that the correct dosage is administered. Heart therapies can often include aspirin to prevent secondary heart attacks. Nitroglycerin is also a common method of reducing a heart attack and the damage that it can cause. In some cases, surgical procedures are common treatments where appropriate. Surgical procedures such as angioplasty and bypass surgery alter the way the heart is configured and can eliminate the need for a part of the heart which has excessive damaged tissue.
Patients recovering from a heart attack often tend to deal with feeling of guilt and anger as well as depression. This is normal and should be dealt with as soon as possible, professionally if necessary. Patients recovering from heart attacks are often concerned about physical activity as well as sexual intercourse. Most patients can return to sexual intercourse as they feel ready while other forms of physical activity may be resumed with the physician’s permission.
Heart attack videos
beating heart surgery
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/Zxqj1BcBpIg
|
Q & A: Heart Attacks
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/7YLKbhz6Q5E
|
Anatomy of the Heart - Model
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/rL6vY0R7O6o
|
Beating Human Heart
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/vj1EF-veAFo
|
Heart Disease Video
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/x8mYu4lH0uA
|
Symptoms of Heart Disease Video
{length_seconds}
{description}
http://www.youtube.com/v/WfvsyzthHfY
|
Find out more by viewing the Human Anatomy page:
Autonomic nervous system
Circulatory system
Medication commonly used for these disease:
1 - of <<previous | next>>
|
Inderal is commonly used in the treatment of angina (chest pain), tremors, hypertension, disorders relating to heart rhythm, and other diseases and disorders relating to the heart and circulation. Inderal is generically prescribed as propranolol and is a more...
|
|
Coversyl can be generically prescribed as fosinopril and is typically used in the treatment of hypertension. Coversyl is part of the family of medications known as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin converting enzyme. more...
|
|
Crestor is the brand name medication that is prescribed generically prescribed as rosuvastatin. Crestor is commonly prescribed to help manage cholesterol levels in the body. It works, usually in conjunction with alternative therapies, to help dispel the h more...
|
|
Diovan is often used in the treatment of hypertension and is also commonly used in patient treatment following a heart attack as a preventative measure against a second heart attack. Diovan is generically prescribed as valsartan and is part of the family more...
|
|
Lipitor, which is generically prescribed as atorvastatin, is commonly used to treat reduce fats, cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotien in the blood to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing the risk of the hardening of the arterie more...
|
|
Aceon is a member of the family of medications known as ACE inhibitors, and can be generically prescribed as perindopril. ACE inhibitors are used to treat patients with coronary artery disease to prevent heart attacks as well as used to treat hypertension more...
|
|
Altace is generically prescribed as ramipril and is most often used in the treatment of high blood pressure. Altace is known as an ACE inhibitor which means angiotensin converting enzyme. Altace is sometimes given to patients after a heart attack to impro more...
|
|
Capoten, also prescribed as captopril, is commonly used in the treatment of cardiac conditions such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, and in treatment after surviving a heart attack. It can also be used for patients who are experiencing kidney pr more...
|
|
Lopressor is often used in the treatment of chest pain and hypertension. It is also used both in the treatment of and the prevention of heart attacks. Lopressor is a beta blocker which relaxes the blood vessels and assists the circulation of blood. Lopres more...
|
|
Atorvastatin is the generic form of Lipitor. This medication is most often used in the treatment of high cholesterol with a combination of exercise and diet therapy. Atorvastatin is also prescribed to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol in t more...
|
1 - of <<previous | next>>
|
Home
E-Mail
Site Map
http://www.medical-look.com
FORUM 
Heart attack
