Heart Attack

What is a heart attack?
A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) is when part of the heart
muscle is damaged or dies because it isn't receiving oxygen. Oxygen is
carried to the heart by the arteries (blood vessels). Most heart attacks are
caused by a blockage in these arteries. Usually the blockage is caused by
atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty deposits (called plaque)
inside the artery. This buildup is like the gunk that builds up in a
drainpipe and slows the flow of water.
Heart attacks can also be caused by a blood clot that gets stuck in a narrow
part of an artery to the heart. Clots are more likely to form where
atherosclerosis has made an artery more narrow.

How do I know if I'm having a heart attack?
The pain of a heart attack can feel like bad heartburn. You may also be
having a heart attack if you:
* Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with sweating,
nausea or vomiting
* Feel pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left
shoulder.
* Feel tightness in your chest
* Have shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds
Don't ignore the pain or discomfort. If you think you are having heart
problems or a heart attack, get help immediately. The sooner you get
treatment, the greater the chance that the doctors can prevent further
damage to the heart muscle.

What should I do if I think I am having a heart attack?
Right away, call for an ambulance to take you to the hospital. While you
wait for the ambulance to come, chew one regular tablet of aspirin. Don't
take the aspirin if you're allergic to aspirin.
If you can, go to a hospital with advanced care facilities for people with
heart attacks. In these medical centers, the latest heart attack technology
is available 24 hours a day. This technology includes rapid thrombolysis
(breaking up clots using medicines called "clot busters"), cardiac
catheterization and angioplasty.
In the hospital, you might be given "clot busters" that reopen the arteries
to your heart very fast. Nurses and technicians will place an IV line
(intravenous line) in your arm to give you medicines. They will also do an
electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), give you oxygen to breathe, and watch your
heart rate and rhythm on a monitor.

Risk factors for a heart attack
* Smoking
* Diabetes
* Increasing age--83% of people who die from heart disease are 65 years of
age or older
* High cholesterol level
* High blood pressure
* Family history of heart attack
* Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
* Lack of exercise
* Stress
* Obesity
* Sex--More males have heart attacks, although heart disease is the leading
cause of death for women.

How can I avoid having a heart attack?
Talk to your family doctor about your specific risk factors for a heart
attack and how to reduce your risk. Your doctor may tell you to do the
following:
* Quit smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you don't smoke, don't start!)
* Eat a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and sodium
(salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Ask your doctor about how to
start eating a healthy diet.
* Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
* Exercise. This sounds hard if you haven't exercised for a while, but try
to work up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (that raises your
heart rate) at least 4 times a week.
* Lose weight if you're overweight. Your doctor can advise you about the
best ways to lose weight.
* Control your blood pressure if you have hypertension.
Talk to your doctor about whether aspirin would help reduce your risk of a
heart attack. Aspirin can help keep your blood from forming clots that can
eventually block the arteries. (AAFP)