Heart Attack – Signs, symptoms and emergency treatment
Medically known as myocardial infarction, the condition of heart attack is one of the most common ailments, prevalent among the current generation adults, and even many teenagers. While the condition of heart attack among adults occurs prominently in those adults who suffer other medical complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels or simply high age, among children and teenagers, it might happen due to bad cholesterol levels and obesity, caused by improper eating habits or even smoking and alcohol consumption.
Medically known as myocardial infarction, the condition of heart attack is one of the most common ailments, prevalent among the current generation adults, and even many teenagers. While the condition of heart attack among adults occurs prominently in those adults who suffer other medical complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels or simply high age, among children and teenagers, it might happen due to bad cholesterol levels and obesity, caused by improper eating habits or even smoking and alcohol consumption.
Following are the most common symptoms and early signs of a heart attack which usually occurs among people of all age groups:-
Pressure in chest – If one feels immediate and abrupt pain in the areas surrounding his/her heart, and that prominently includes upper chest, it is considered to be one of the clearest early signs of a heart attack.
Pain in other parts of the upper body – Apart from the chest, there are other parts of the upper body where pain can happen in the circumstance of a heart attack. These parts of the upper body include upper back, chest and shoulders, and this kind of pain occurs more prominently in women as compared to men.
Lack of breath – If someone is suddenly feeling shortness while breathing, chances are that it happens due to an incoming condition of heart attack, as the flow of blood and eventually oxygen gets disrupted.
Sweating – The lack of flow of oxygen and blood can also be determined if someone suddenly starts sweating abruptly, without any heavy physical activity. This kind of heavy sweating is followed by chest pain, which is a clear indication of a heart attack.
Nausea – While there are many reasons why common nausea occurs to a human, if someone is feeling nausea on a sudden basis, without any major physical activity or body movement, it can lead to heart attack in a couple of minutes.
Vomiting – In the condition of a heart attack, a person might start vomiting, which is usually followed by nausea or severe pain in the chest, and this condition might occur hours after eating something as well.
Anxiety – While anxiety is a common phenomenon among individuals who usually take stress, if a person suddenly starts feeling anxious, which can lead to nausea or chest pain, it is also considered to be an oncoming sign of a heart attack.
Dizziness – Dizziness is usually confused with headache or nausea, but it actually differs from both of them. A person might undergo dizziness followed by nausea or vomiting if he/she is facing the consequences of a blocked artery, obstructing the flow of oxygen.
Sudden increase in heart rate – While a sudden increase in the pace of heartbeat is a common phenomenon while doing a cardiovascular exercise like running or cycling, if someone is sitting or lying idle and his heartbeat increases suddenly, it is considered to be an early sign of a heart attack.
While the condition of heart attack is a serious ailment, if treated with immediate effect and time, it can be treated perfectly. Here are the following kinds of treatments usually followed after a person suffers from heart attack:-
Angioplasty – In this operation, the blocked artery is treated by removing the plaque built up inside it with the help of a balloon.
Heart bypass surgery – It is one of the most complex treatments when it comes to cardiovascular operations, and requires a lot of time and careful inspection. In this, the flow of blood is rerouted around the area/artery where the blockage of flow of blood has occurred.
Heart valve surgery – If the blockage of flow of blood happens inside the valves of heart and not arteries, the heart valve surgery is conducted to replace the leaky valves, in order to facilitate the pumping action of heart.
Heart transplant – If the heart of the person suffered from a heart attack has damaged beyond the boundaries of repairing or operation, his/her heart needs to be replaced completely. This condition usually occurs when heart attack permanently damages the tissues of the heart of the concerned person.
Pacemaker – A pacemaker is a device which is planted beneath the skin of the affected person. This is done in order to regain the regular rhythm of the heart-beat of the affected person.
In case of a heart attack, the affected person has to be immediately rushed to a hospital, seeking proper medication and further possibilities of operation by a trained cardiologist.
Heart attack – symptoms, factors affecting and possible treatments
One of the most common ailments among the people of the modern world, heart attack or heartburn occurs when there is a chance of obstruction of blood flow towards the heart muscle, caused by a possible blood clot in a particular artery or vein.
One of the most common ailments among the people of the modern world, heart attack or heartburn occurs when there is a chance of obstruction of blood flow towards the heart muscle, caused by a possible blood clot in a particular artery or vein. This reduces the supply of oxygen to the heart as well, which can result in immediate loss of breath and deterioration of the health of your heart, and in severe conditions, it can result in death as well.
Following is a thorough description of the various symptoms and factors related to the condition of heart attack, and what all possible treatments and care which one needs to undergo in this health condition:-
Symptoms of a heart attack:-
Chest pain – This is the most common symptom which one faces during the oncoming of a heart attack. When the attack actually happens, one might experience unbearable pain in the center of the chest, which may or may not go after a few minutes.
Pain in other parts of the upper body – While chest pain is the most obvious symptom of a heart attack, one must not ignore the pain which can happen in other parts of the upper body, such as the neck, shoulders, arms, or stomach. If the pain persists for longer than required followed by chest pain, it can lead to a heart attack.
Breathlessness – This is more common in cases of people suffering from chronic asthma-related issues. Before the heart attack, one might experience breathlessness which may or may not be followed by pain in the chest or other parts of the upper body.
Lightheadedness – If one is facing a situation when he/she is about to faint or feel that his body is feeling heavier than his head, chances are that he/she might be having a little circulation of blood towards the brain. This is basically called lightheadedness and is one of the clear symptoms of a heart attack.
Cold sweating – If one experiences sweating even under normal room or cold temperature conditions from the face or palms, this is usually one of the rare symptoms of a possible heart attack. In such conditions, it is followed by chest pain or lightheadedness.
Factors affecting heart attack:-
Age – People who are usually aged above 60-65 years are more prone to the possibilities of a heart attack. In such age groups, the flow of blood is affected if one is suffering from other ailments like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Hereditary chronic ailment – Even if someone is aged below 60-65 years, and is still is in his/her adolescence or youth if one is suffering from a chronic ailment hereditary from his/her ancestors like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, it increases the chances of a possible heart attack.
Lack of exercise – If one is practicing regular exercise and workout, he/she will be lesser prone to the possibility of a heart attack, as it ensures the regularity of the flow of blood and healthy practice of clean eating.
Gender – Studies have shown that men are more susceptible to the conditions of a heart attack more than women.
Treatments of a heart attack:-
Bypass surgery – As the name suggests, bypass surgery involves rerouting the flow of blood around the exact spot where the particular blockage which has led to a heart attack is spotted.
Valve surgery – In this operation, the doctor replaces the valves leading to your heart which are leaking due to heart attack, which enables a smoother pumping operation of blood.
Angioplasty – This operation involves the process in which the blocked artery is opened up using a balloon, and a wired mesh is inserted into that particular artery, in order to facilitate the flow of blood through the required passage.
Heart transplant – In case the damage caused to most of the tissues of your heart is severe, then the heart transplant is considered to be the best and most optimum solution, in order to reduce the possibility of a greater fatality.
Medications – Some of the medicines which are usually prescribed by a doctor during the various treatments of heart attack are blood thinners (anti-platelets), nitroglycerin, pain killers and aspirin, apart from clot-breaker drugs and pain killers.
A heart attack is usually an ‘out of the blue’ phenomenon, which can happen suddenly. In such cases, the patient should be rushed to the hospital as nearby as possible. For ensuring optimum treatment of it, the doctors in the emergency ward in a hospital do attend the concerned patient for preliminary treatment, followed by a thorough treatment by a professional cardiologist.
How Does COVID-19 Affect The Heart?
Novel Coronavirus is not new anymore. The Pandemic has completed a year mark since its inception in Wuhan, China. Commonly known as COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is known for its deadly infection in the nose, lungs, and upper throat. As the cases increased, there have been reports of the virus affecting different people in different ways, particularly in the lungs, kidneys, and heart. Most people develop mild to moderate illness and recover in time while others suffer calamitously.
Novel Coronavirus is not new anymore. The Pandemic has completed a year mark since its inception in Wuhan, China. Commonly known as COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is known for its deadly infection in the nose, lungs, and upper throat. As the cases increased, there have been reports of the virus affecting different people in different ways, particularly in the lungs, kidneys, and heart. Most people develop mild to moderate illness and recover in time while others suffer calamitously.
Recent reports suggest vandalism of the heart has emerged as yet another serious outcome of the virus among other possible complications. COVID-19 is a disease that ranges from bare symptomatic to censorious illness. Many among those infected have been reported to develop cardiac diseases either unanticipated or as a complication of preceding cardiovascular illnesses. Besides, some reports point out clinical events, which suggests patients’ existing conditions were cardiovascular rather than respiratory.
How does the Novel Coronavirus affect the Heart?
Since the inception of the COVID, there have been different reports based on contrasting symptoms of the patients. Some have had breathing troubles while others were seen rattling cardiac illnesses. Even in the early stage of COVID-19, there were reports apprising the extent of heart diseases among patients hospitalized in Wuhan, China. Since then, many other reports have upheld that cardiac diseases can be a part of COVID-induced suffering.
Though the source and recency of the cardiac illness yet not well established but reports suggest it likely involves increased stress due to respiratory failure, lung diseases, hypoxemia, direct myocardial infarction, or any indirect injury due to inflammatory response. Many cases of myocardial infarction in COVID-19 patients suggest proof of cardiovascular infections but do not highlight the means.
Autopsies report inflammation consisting of macrophages and CD4+ T cells. About 7% of the cases with heart diseases are seen to have an acute cardiac injury(ACI) caused by a possible profusion of ACE type 2 receptor in the cardiovascular system that binds with spike protein of COVID-19.
Other reports suggest that there is a tenfold rise in the number of deaths due to high-sensitivity-Troponin. About 15% of the cases were reported to have different types of arrhythmia caused by irregular respiratory conditions.
Fever and inflammation drive the heart rate and increases metabolic demand on the heart, further diminishing oxygen supply to the heart muscle. Patients are also seen to develop tiny blood clots that clog the vessels in the heart and even in the other organs like kidneys, disposing them of oxygen and essential nutrients leading to multisystem failure. This can result in cytokinesis caused by the release of cytokines giving rise to tissue injury and organ damage.
Does COVID-19 affect the heart even after recovery?
Though there is yet no definitive mechanism that suggests a potential increase in heart failure due to COVID-19, there are growing numbers of studies that suggest that the pandemic survivors experience some type of cardiac disorder. Studies also suggest that patients with no early diagnosis of underlying heart diseases were also seen to have some type of infection in the heart after the recovery. These infections vary from person to person.
Infections like myocarditis could lead to heart failure. Reports based on MRIs of patients recovered from COVID-19 found unusualness in the heart and myocardial infections. Some studies have found high levels of hs-troponin, even in the patients who weren’t hospitalized.
Be mindful of emergencies
With little information and varying outcomes, it is difficult to identify who is at more risk. A lot of people end up feeling exhausted even after the recovery. The above data suggests the importance of good cardiovascular health among COVID-19 patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment play a significant role in recovery.
We know there is physical, economic, and social chaos around the world due to the virus. Even if you do not have it yourself, such times can put you through hardships and intensify the risk of all sorts of stress-related illnesses. For those with preexisting heart diseases, it is important to practice good heart health. Being watchful of sanitization, a proper exercise regimen, and eating well is the key to a healthy heart and body. Also, staying connected with family and friends through the Internet by maintaining social distancing, can also help you overcome emotional stress.
People with the underlying disease should confer with their health professionals concerning uncertain risks and circumstances to determine whether additional precautions are required.
Why should you opt for Off-pump bypass surgery?
Off-pump coronary surgery is gaining widespread acceptance and has entered in the mainstream clinical practices. The advantages of off-pump surgery have led to an increase in the proportion of surgeons accepting the method worldwide. Know what benefit it offers to patients and why they should opt for the surgery.
In the last couple of decades, Coronary-Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) or bypass surgery was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass or “on-pump.” A desire to improve the outcomes of surgery led to technological advances. These technological advances have made surgery on a beating heart possible and techniques to perform CABG without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump), were developed. The surgical instruments used in these kinds of surgery limit the motion only to the areas where the heart is being operated.
According to a study, approximately every 10 minutes, someone is undergoing off-pass bypass surgery somewhere. In this process, the surgeon removes a section of healthy artery from the healthy area of the body. The removed section, called graft, is then attached to the area of the heart above and below the blockage, restoring the normal blood flow. But, why one should opt for off-pump bypass surgery over on-pump surgery?
Improved Outcomes
A research study proved that off-pump bypass surgery improves outcome in high-risk patients compared to on-pump coronary artery bypass. The surgery has been found associated with a reduction in the odds of cerebral stroke and other related issues.
Excellent for High-Risk Patients
In high-risk patients, off-pump surgery must be strongly considered. Research studies have proved that certain people, for instance, with advanced atherosclerosis of the aorta, chronic lung disease, or kidney problems, are likely to receive more benefits. The surgeons mostly prefer off-pump for reduced risks for infection and lesser postoperative inflammation.
Improved Quality of Life
The off-pump surgery improves the physical and mental health components notably. While the metabolic needs of various organs and muscle tissues are higher in on-pump than in off-pump. The depression and anxiety scores also decrease significantly in off-pump techniques.
Lower Complications
As the off-pump technique is comparatively new, the complications are quite less. The complications like accelerated fibrinolysis, renal impairment, coagulopathies associated with platelet dysfunction, etc., can be avoided or at least reduced largely. Besides, the surgery also has reduced morbidity or mortality rate.
Indeed, off-pump surgery is more beneficial than the conventional bypass surgery. However, an expert healthcare provider must be considered for undergoing such surgeries to avoid risks. Medipulse houses experienced doctors and have a world-class infrastructure for performing these surgeries. Dr. Rajeev Gehlot , the most renowned heart specialist in Jodhpur, heads the department of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. His expertise and precision have made numerous heart surgeries successful in Rajasthan.