Overview of Heart Attack
A heart attack refers to a myocardial infarction and it takes place when a part of your heart muscle lacks enough supply of blood. Indeed, delay in restoring the blood flow leads to more damage to your heart muscles.
Blockage in the coronary artery is the prime cause of heart attack. However, a heart attack may even be caused by sudden contraction or spasm of your coronary artery, as it stops the flow of blood to your heart muscles. Regardless of the underlying cause, you should essentially know the warning heart attack signs timely to undergo the right treatment immediately.
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack in Both Men and Women
According to healthcare experts associated with the American Heart Association, if individuals experience either of the following problems, they may have a heart attack-
Unbearable Chest Pain
Unbearable chest pain with crushing is the first and the most common symptom associated with a heart attack. Other than pain, heart attack patients feel uncomfortable pressure, tightness, squeezing, and fullness in their chest. The chest pain and crushing lasts for a while or may come back and go away.
Pain in Arms and Surrounding Body Parts
Many people with heart attack experience pain and discomfort in any of their or both arms. Indeed, we may consider arm pain as one of the signs of a heart attack. Besides, many heart attack patients also experience neck, back, jaw, or shoulder pain. Alternatively, some people have stomach pain because of myocardial infarction.
Breathing Shortness
Both men and women with heart attacks often have shortness of breath without or with discomfort in their chest. A few people have intense chest tightening, suffocation feelings, or breathlessness as well. Breathing shortness also indicates one of the common signs of blockage in the heart in humans.
Sweat, Nausea, and Excessive Sweating
Other than pain and discomfort, many myocardial infarction patients may have excessive sweating with lightheaded feelings. Moreover, some people have vomiting and nausea feelings.
Additional Heart Attack Signs in Women
Many women with heart attacks may experience some subtle symptoms, which include the following-
1. The feeling of worry and uneasiness, which also refer to anxiety
2. Upset stomach or indigestion
3. Breathing problems
4. Difficulty in sleeping
5. Excessive or unusual feelings of tiredness
Causes of Heart Attack in Humans
Once you know the signs and symptoms related to heart attack, you should also know the underlying causes of heart attack. These include the following-
Blocked Coronary Arteries/Heart Blockage
Blocked coronary arteries or heart blockage is the common cause of heart attack. The blockage often occurs from the accumulation of plaques or cholesterol. Plaques narrow your arteries to reduce the blood flow from/to your heart. Moreover, when a plaque breaks open, it may lead to a blood clot in your heart followed by a heart attack. Heart problems may take place from a partial or complete coronary artery blockage.
Risk Factors to Develop Heart Blockage
Regardless of partial or complete blockage, you may be at risk of heart attack if you smoke and intake a high carbohydrate or fat diet. Moreover, people with high cholesterol, high blood sugar/diabetes, or hypertension/high blood pressure remain at an increased risk of a heart attack.
Additional Causes of Heart Attack in Humans
Blocked arteries are not only the reason associated with heart attacks in humans. Instead, there are a few additional causes of heart attack, which we have discussed here-
Spasm of Coronary Arteries
Spasm of coronary arteries refers to severe blood squeezing of unblocked blood vessels across your heart. The reduction takes place from the excessive amounts of plaque in the streets. However, some people may have this condition from the hardening of blood vessels because of smoking and related risk factors.
SCAD
SCAD is the acronym for spontaneous coronary artery dissection. The problem occurs from a tear in the inner area of your heart arteries. SCAD is a life-threatening condition, for which you should undergo immediate treatment.
Viral Infections
Viral infections, including COVID-19 and its variants, may damage the heart muscles, which further results in heart attack.
Hypoxia or Lack of Oxygen
Many people have heart attacks from a less common condition called hypoxia or lack of oxygen. When the oxygen level in your blood reduces from irregular lung function or carbon monoxide poisoning, your heart will lack oxygenated blood. It leads to the damage of heart muscles and triggers a heart attack.
Conclusion
A heart attack takes place whenever the arteries surrounding your heart cannot send oxygen or blood from/to your heart or arteries block. Hence, you must work responsibly and identify the warning symptoms related to both heart blockage and heart attack. You should remember that prompt identification and timely treatment is the key to preventing death from a heart attack.
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