What is a heart attack?

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack, also  known as either  myocardial infarction, cardiac infarction, or coronary thrombosis, is when the blood flow to the heart is reduced or blocked. The heart attack occurs when calsified plaque is built up and then clogs the main blood-oxygen passage to the heart. Some of the main causes of heart attacks are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, stress, smoking and lifestyle issues. Heart attacks are getting to be more and more common with people in the United States because of unhealthy eating habits. About every 34 seconds, someone has experienced some blockage and has a heart attack. The diagnosed victims are taken to the hospital to be under strict coronary care for a minimum of 36 hours. During this time the patient will undergo drug therapy, blocker drugs and other medications to calm the heart. Aspirin is then given to reduce the clotting that may occur.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

Although heart attacks are sudden, there can be some warning and symptoms to help catch the heart attack sooner. Some of the symptoms are of the following: Chest discomfort, coughing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, graying face, restlessness, and the patient is clammy. The heart attack will usually start with pain in the chest and then spread to the jaw, neck, arms, wrists, and then into the back and shoulders.

What causes a heart attack?

One of the main factors is an unhealthy diet, which is the main cause of many diseases. Other causes are Diabetes, obesity, blood cholesterol levels, and all of these relate back to the unhealthy diet. Some of the others  are because of physical inactivity. Also other factors are age, usually in men over 45 years and women over 55 years, genes, smoking, and calcium supplements. If you can work to maintain a healthy diet and keep consistent with exercises, most of these issues can be prevented.

What can I do to minimize the risks?

The first thing that I really stress is a healthy diet consisting of vegetables and fruits and less of the fatty red meats and processed foods. Another helpful item of concern is the amount of sleep you get and the reduction of stress levels. Stress adds extra chemicals to the body that act against your body. The next thing you can do is increase your exercise and stay consistent with it. Your exercise doesn’t need to be intense and stressful, but it needs to be moderate and daily. If you have diabetes, keep it under control and take care of your levels. If you are overweight, lose that weight as soon as you can. The added weight can overstress your body and can also aid the blockage of the blood passages. Finally do not smoke, because smoking adds extra chemicals that will stress your system and can also lead to an imbalance in blood levels. Overall watch you physical activity and maintain a healthy diet. Consult your doctor on what would be a healthy diet and exercise plan for you.