Tips For Heart Attack Prevention
The goal after your heart attack is to keep your heart healthy and lower your risk of having another heart attack. Take your medications as directed, make healthy lifestyle changes, see your doctor for regular heart checkups, and consider a cardiac rehabilitation program.
Why do I need to take drugs after a heart attack?
You might take certain drugs after a heart attack to:
- Prevent blood clots
- Prevent plaques by lowering cholesterol
You might take medications that treat an uneven heartbeat, lower your blood pressure, control chest pain, and treat heart failure.
Know the names of your medications, what theyâre used for, and when you need to take them. Go over your medications with your doctor or nurse. Keep a list of all your medications, and take it to each of your doctor visits. If you have questions about them, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
It sounds like a no-brainer, but don’t skip your medications. Many people don’t take their medications the way their doctor told them to. Figure out what keeps you from taking your medicine — it could be side effects, cost, or forgetfulness — and ask your doctor for help.
What lifestyle changes are needed after a heart attack?
To keep heart disease from getting worse and to head off another heart attack, follow your doctor’s advice. You might need to change your lifestyle. Here are some changes you can make that can cut your risk and put you on the path to a healthier life:
Why should I take part in cardiac rehabilitation?
The Risks Of Tobacco Smoking
If you smoke, your risk of:
heart attack is more than twice as high as someone who does not smoke coronary heart disease is significantly increased if you are a woman using the oral contraceptive pill stroke is more than twice as high as someone who does not smoke peripheral arterial disease, which can lead to gangrene, is increased by more than five times.
Recommended Reading: How Do They Test For Heart Attack
Q Are There Any Female
Recommended Reading: What Is Normal Blood Pressure And Heart Rate
Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Over 50
Symptoms of heart attack in women are atypical, and hence, identifying them is difficult. However, here is a list of possible symptoms that can be observed in women suffering from heart attack.
Symptoms of heart attack in women are atypical, and hence, identifying them is difficult. However, here is a list of possible symptoms that can be observed in women suffering from heart attack.
Heart diseases are the major causes of mortality in men and women over 50 years of age. Men and women are at an equal risk of suffering from heart attack. It is essential to be aware of its identifying signs and symptoms, in order to get the condition diagnosed and treated quickly.
Heart Attack in WomenIt should be noted that the symptoms of heart attack vary according to gender. We all are aware of its classic symptoms like chest pain and breathlessness. The following classic symptoms can be observed in women, when suffering from heart attack.
Common Symptoms
Peculiarly, chest pain, as a symptom of heart disease, may not always be experienced by women. The following are the other signs of heart attack in women over 50 years of age. These symptoms accompany the aforementioned ones.
Other Notable Symptoms
Now, it may seem difficult to relate these symptoms to heart attack and look for immediate treatment. But, women should note that any of the aforementioned symptoms, if observed for unexplained reasons, should be bought to the doctors notice immediately.
How Is Hri Fighting Heart Attack
HRI is conducting innovative research to develop new therapies for detecting, preventing and treating heart attacks.
Our Arterial Inflammation and Redox Biology Group is investigating unstable atherosclerotic plaque, which can cause blockages leading to heart attack, and how to detect and prevent the formation of this high-risk plaque.
Our Coronary Diseases Group is investigating whether the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine, which has already proved safe and effective for treating conditions like arthritis and gout, can be repurposed to protect against repeat heart attacks. A collaboration between the Coronary Disease Group and our Clinical Research Group has also discovered that the heart releases certain substances during a heart attack that can be detected in the laboratory.
Our Cardiovascular Medical Devices Group is using cutting-edge bioengineering improvements to develop a new generation of medical devices to reduce the chances of thrombosis during surgical medical interventions.
Our Thrombosis Group is undertaking research to understand how blood clot formation occurs in healthy individuals. This research is crucial for developing safer and more effective therapies for heart attacks, amongst other cardiovascular diseases.
Don’t Miss: How Long Does Heart Attack Pain Last
Q How Can I Test My Heart At Home
- Check pulse and heart rate: Feel your pulse to check your heart rate and rhythm. A pulse matches up with a heartbeat that pumps blood through your arteries and heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. The stronger the pulse, the better is the strength of your blood flow and blood pressure.
- Check Blood Pressure: When at rest, the normal blood pressure is less than 120 over less than 80. The reading of 130/80 or higher is high blood pressure. If you have a consistent high BP then there’s a probability of your heart being blocked.
- Blood Test: Check the sodium, potassium, albumin, and creatinine levels in your blood. Abnormal levels could suggest possible signs of heart failure, or kidney or liver problems.
What Is Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease is caused by damage to the heart valves and heart muscle from the inflammation and scarring caused by rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is caused by an abnormal response of the body to infection with streptococcal bacteria, whichusually begins as a sore throat or tonsillitis in children.
Rheumatic fever mostly affects children in developing countries, especially where poverty is widespread. Globally, about 2% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases are related to rheumatic heart disease.
You May Like: How To Check For Heart Attack
When Should I See My Doctor
If calling triple zero does not work on your mobile, try calling 112. Early treatment could save a life.
See your doctor regularly to manage your general health, test for heart disease risk factors and help you take steps to prevent a heart attack.
Cardiovascular Risk Of Smoking And Benefits Of Smoking Cessation
Giuseppina Gallucci1, Alfredo Tartarone2, Rosa Lerose3, Anna Vittoria Lalinga4, Alba Maria Capobianco2
1 Department of Onco-Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, 3 Pathology Unit, IRCCS-CROB Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, Rionero in Vulture , Italy
Contributions: Conception and design: G Gallucci, A Tartarone Administrative support: None Provision of study materials or patients: None Collection and assembly of data: None Data analysis and interpretation: None Manuscript writing: All authors Final approval of manuscript: All authors.
Correspondence to:
Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases tobacco smoking secondhand smoke
Submitted Feb 05, 2020. Accepted for publication Feb 28, 2020.
doi: 10.21037/jtd.2020.02.47
Recommended Reading: Which Carries Oxygenated Blood From The Lungs To The Heart
Are The Symptoms Of Heart Attack Different For Women
The most common heart attack symptom for women is pain or discomfort in the chest. However, women are more likely to have a heart attack without having any chest pain. Therefore, women should pay close attention to other symptoms of heart attack. These include shortness of breath, sweating, fatigue, and dizziness.
Do You Have To Make Changes To Your Lifestyle After A Heart Attack
You will likely experience some changes to your lifestyle following a heart attack. This could include lifestyle changes in eating, activity, smoking, drinking alcohol, and managing stress. Other things to consider are a new work routine and your ability to drive or travel. Speak with your doctor to establish a routine and lifestyle that works for you and encourages your recovery.
You May Like: Which Of The Following Is Not A Risk Factor For Coronary Heart Disease
What Kind Of Testing Can Be Done To Measure Your Heart Health If You Are A Regular Smoker
Different tests which can be useful for evaluating your heart health include echocardiograms, carotid artery ultrasounds, renal artery ultrasounds, and peripheral arterial disease testing. These sonograms and tests can allow for visualization of your heart, carotid arteries, renal arteries, and vascular flow in your extremities.
Heart Attack Warning Signs And Symptoms: Digestive Problems
Niruja HealthTech” alt=”Causes of Heart attack > Niruja HealthTech”> Nausea
Nausea or feeling sick on your stomach is a less common but possible symptom of a heart attack. Sometimes belching or burping can accompany nausea, and some patients have described a feeling like indigestion associated with a heart attack. Women are more likely than men to report these less typical symptoms of heart attack, and some patients have described feeling as though they are developing the flu.
Vomiting
Recommended Reading: Whats Congestive Heart Failure
How Heart Attack Symptoms May Differ For People With Diabetes
Research has shown that people with diabetes are more likely to have silent heart attacks compared to people who dont have diabetes. In other words, if you have diabetes, you may not experience the typical symptoms associated with a heart attack, especially chest pain.
Many studies have been done to better understand why people with diabetes are less likely to experience chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. One explanation is that the development of neuropathy a type of nerve damage thats a common complication of diabetes may interfere with the ability to feel chest pain caused by a heart attack.
According to research , approximately 55 percent of people with diabetes have coronary artery disease. Having impaired blood flow in the coronary arteries is a major risk factor for a heart attack.
Because of this risk, its important that people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels under control, get frequent blood tests to check cholesterol levels, and work closely with a doctor to ensure their diabetes is managed well.
Angina Vs Heart Attack
Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle is called angina. Its a common symptom of heart disease. There are two main types of angina:
- stable angina, the most common type of angina and one that is predictable often occurring with physical exertion or stress
- unstable angina, which is unpredictable and should be treated as a medical emergency
An angina attack can feel like a heart attack, and in many cases especially with unstable angina it can be hard to tell angina from an actual heart attack.
If you have stable angina thats brought on with exertion and eases with rest, you may assume a sudden but brief bout of chest pain is only an angina attack. If chest pain doesnt subside with rest or comes and goes for a period of 10 minutes or more, you may be having a heart attack.
Talking with your doctor about how to manage your angina will help you better understand the difference between angina and heart attack symptoms, and help prepare you if your chest pain is actually a symptom of a heart attack.
The leading cause of heart attacks is coronary heart disease. This is where plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. The general buildup of plaque in the arteries is also known as atherosclerosis.
There are two main types of heart attack.
In type II heart attacks the heart does not receive as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, but there is not a complete blockage of an artery.
Other causes of heart attacks include:
Read Also: When Is Resting Heart Rate Too High
What Is A Heart Attack/stroke
Strokes, heart attacks, or Myocardial Infarctions, occur when your heart is not getting enough oxygen through its vessels. This happens because plaques, also called fatty deposits, accumulate in the coronary arteries. These deposits keep accumulating until one day, they burst inside the vessel.
When this happens, the oxygenated blood cells, or Erythrocytes, struggle to reach their destination: the heart. With this happening, heart cells start to suffocate and gradually deteriorate. This happens over a very small interval of time, which is the main reason why strokes are dangerous and lethal.
Complications Following A Heart Attack
Sometimes there are complications following a heart attack. The most common complications after a heart attack are:
- problems with your hearts natural electrical rhythm
- chest pain or angina
- heart failure
Many problems resolve themselves quite quickly. However, sometimes problems linger and can often be helped by the use of drugs.
Read Also: What Causes A Fast Heart Rate
The Benefits Of Quitting
After quitting, a former smokers risk of coronary heart disease starts to decrease. Within a year, the risk is reduced by about half. The benefits increase over time and, after 15 years, the risk of developing coronary heart disease is similar to that of someone who has never smoked.Footnote 12,Footnote 13,Footnote 14
A smoker who quits after receiving coronary artery bypass surgery reduces their risk of ending up in hospital again for heart disease.Footnote 15
Among smokers who have coronary heart disease, quitting reduces the risk of dying from this condition.Footnote 12,Footnote 16
Quit Now is more effective than other measures to avoid the development of heart disease and other smoking-related diseases.
Need help to quit? Call the pan-Canadian quitline toll-free at 1-866-366-3667.
Also Check: What Supplies Blood To The Heart
How Stress And Mental Health Play A Role In Scad
SCAD patients commonly report having mental health conditions like chronic stress, depression, and anxiety, and notably at higher rates than other heart attack patients. On the flip side, having SCAD can bring about or exacerbate these conditions in the recovery period.
A more sudden type of stress could also trigger SCAD. Intense stress can cause an adrenaline surge that increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to an arterial tear, Malissa J. Wood, M.D., codirector of the Corrigan Womens Heart Health Program, director of the SCAD program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, tells SELF.
Its a well-known fact that women have higher rates of many mental health conditions than men do. According to numbers cited by the National Institute of Mental Health , 23.4 percent of women reported having any type of anxiety disorder in the past year compared with 14.3 percent of men. When it comes to depression, 8.7 percent of women reported at least one major depressive episode in the past year as opposed to 5.3 percent of men, the NIMH says. These health conditions can contribute to stress and vice versa.
Read Also: Can Flying Cause Heart Attacks
Can You Prevent A Heart Attack
You can lower your risk of a heart attack by changing behaviors that can raise your risks or treating any known coronary artery disease. Healthy lifestyle changes, including heart-healthy eating, staying active, quitting smoking, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight, can help prevent heart disease. Even if you already have coronary artery disease, these changes can lower your risk of a heart attack.
It is also important for you to get treatment for other health conditions that raise your risk of a heart attack. Talk to your doctor about whether taking aspirin can help you prevent blood clots that can lead to a heart attack.
Research for your health
Learn about current and future NHLBI research to advance treatment and improve our scientific understanding of the causes of heart attacks. Research on this topic is part of the NHLBIs broader commitment to advancing scientific discovery for heart and vascular diseases.
How Is A Heart Attack Treated
Quick treatment to get the blood flowing to your heart muscle again is important. This can reduce the amount of permanent damage to your heart and save your life.
Many people need to have emergency treatment to restore the blood flow:
- Coronary angioplasty re-opens the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.
- Thrombolysis involves giving you clot-busting medicine to dissolve the blood clot that’s blocking the coronary artery.
- Coronary bypass surgery helps to restore normal blood flow by using a blood vessel from your leg, arm or chest in your heart to bypass the blocked artery.
You might not have these treatments if your doctor decides it’s not safe or necessary.
You May Like: What Can Cause Heart Attack
How Will I Feel When I Quit Smoking
It probably will be tough for a while, but itâs worth it.
You may crave cigarettes, be irritable, feel hungry, cough often, get headaches, or have trouble concentrating. These symptoms of withdrawal happen because your body is used to nicotine, the active addictive agent within cigarettes.
Youâll probably notice it most during the first 2 weeks after quitting. When it happens, remember why youâre quitting. Tell yourself that these are signs that your body is healing and getting used to being without cigarettes.
The withdrawal symptoms wonât last. Theyâre strongest when you first quit but will usually go away within 10 to 14 days.
You may still want to smoke, especially with certain people or during situations where youâre used to smoking. If you smoke again, start over. Most people quit three times before theyâre successful. Plan ahead and think about what youâll do next time you get the urge to smoke.