What Are Symptoms Of A Heart Attack
A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart muscle becomes blocked. If you have heart disease, youre at increased risk of having a heart attack.
Common symptoms of a heart attack may include:
- Pressure, fullness, burning, or squeezing sensations in the chest
- Pain in the chest, neck or back
- Unusual shortness of breath
- Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating
- Unusual fatigue
Its important to note that heart attack symptoms vary among men and women, and from person to person. If youre unsure, dont wait. Call 911 for help.
Take Medicine To Protect Your Heart
Medicines may be an important part of your treatment plan. Your doctor will prescribe medicine based on your specific needs. Medicine may help you
- meet your A1C , blood pressure, and cholesterol goals.
- reduce your risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke.
- treat angina, or chest pain that is often a symptom of heart disease. Angina can also be an early symptom of a heart attack.
- treat heart failure, which is a form of heart disease in which your heart cannot pump blood well enough for your body to work properly.
Ask your doctor whether you should take daily aspirin. Aspirin is not safe for everyone. Your doctor can tell you whether taking aspirin is right for you and exactly how much to take.
Statins can reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke in some people with diabetes. In addition, certain diabetes medicines have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and death in patients at very high risk of having a heart attack. Talk with your doctor to find out whether taking a statin or a diabetes medicine that reduces heart attack risk is right for you.
Take medicines the way your doctor or health care team tells you to. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about your medicines. Before you start a new medicine, ask your doctor about possible side effects and how you can avoid them. If the side effects of your medicine bother you, tell your doctor. Dont stop taking your medicines without checking with your doctor first.
What Can You Do
If you suspect someone may be having a stroke, call 911. Keep the patient safe from falls, and monitor them closely while you wait for emergency medical services. Make a note of the time the symptoms began and be as accurate as possible this information can be helpful for medical personnel when they administer treatment.
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Which Is More Serious A Stroke Or A Heart Attack
Both a stroke and heart attack can be fatal, but a full recovery is also possible in many cases. The outcomes depend upon the severity of the events and how quickly medical support is provided.
With prompt, effective treatment, successful completion of cardiac rehabilitation, and a healthy lifestyle, a heart attack survivor may live many years with few reminders of the attack.
The prognosis after a stroke can be more difficult to predict. Depending on which part of the brain was damaged by the stroke, there can be lifelong complications even after rapid treatment and rehabilitation. Some long-term complications include:
- walking difficulties
Manage Your Diabetes Abcs
Know your diabetes ABCs to help you manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Stop smoking if you have diabetes to lower your chances of developing heart disease.
A is for the A1C test. The A1C test shows your average blood glucose level over the past 3 months. This is different from the blood glucose checks you do every day. The higher your A1C number, the higher your blood glucose levels have been during the past 3 months. High levels of blood glucose can harm your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.
The A1C goal for many people with diabetes is below 7%. Some people may do better with a slightly higher A1C goal. Your A1C goals may also change as you get older and your lifestyle changes. Ask your health care team what your goal should be.
B is for blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the wall of your blood vessels. If your blood pressure gets too high, it makes your heart work too hard. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke and damage your kidneys and eyes.
The blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes is below 140/90 mm Hg. Ask what your goal should be.
S is for stop smoking. Quitting smoking is especially important for people with diabetes because both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels, so your heart has to work harder. E-cigarettes arent a safe option either.
If you quit smoking
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Types Of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease covers a number of conditions that are related to lifestyle, including:
- coronary heart disease either angina or heart attack
- stroke either caused by a blockage with a blood clot or the rupturing of a blood vessel and bleeding
- peripheral vascular disease obstruction of the large blood vessels that supply blood to the arms and legs.
Cardiovascular disease conditions that are not related to lifestyle, include:
- acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease caused by an untreated infection with group A streptococcus bacteria
- congenital heart disease inherited conditions that affect the structure of the heart.
How Are Heart Attack And Stroke Diagnosed
If you have stroke symptoms, your doctor will get a quick summary of symptoms and a medical history. Youll likely get a CT scan of the brain. This can show bleeding in the brain and areas of the brain that may have been affected by poor blood flow. Your doctor may also order an MRI.
A different set of tests is done to diagnose a heart attack. Your doctor will still want to know your symptoms and medical history. After that, theyll use an electrocardiogram to check on the health of your heart muscle.
A blood test is also done to check for enzymes that indicate a heart attack. Your doctor may also perform a cardiac catheterization. This test involves guiding a long, flexible tube through a blood vessel into the heart to check for blockage.
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What Are The Risk Factors For Heart Attack
Several health conditions, your lifestyle, and your age and family history can increase your risk for heart disease and heart attack. These are called risk factors. About half of all Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking.2
Some risk factors cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control.
Learn more about risk factors for heart disease and heart attack.
Goal: Improve Cardiovascular Health And Reduce Deaths From Heart Disease And Stroke
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke is the fifth leading cause.1,2 Healthy People 2030 focuses on preventing and treating heart disease and stroke and improving overall cardiovascular health.
Heart disease and stroke can result in poor quality of life, disability, and death. Though both diseases are common, they can often be prevented by controlling risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol through treatment.
In addition, making sure people who experience a cardiovascular emergency like stroke, heart attack, or cardiac arrest get timely recommended treatment can reduce their risk for long-term disability and death. Teaching people to recognize symptoms is key to helping more people get the treatment they need.
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Types Of Cardiac Problems Seen With Stroke
Heart problems that are common among people who have had a stroke include myocardial infarction , heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmiasespecially atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.
Heart problems associated with strokes may be caused by the same underlying process that produced the stroke, most commonly thrombosis of an artery. Or, the heart problem may cause a stroke, such as when atrial fibrillation produces an embolus to the brain. Additionally, a stroke can precipitate a heart problem.
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?
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What Are The Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Disease
The most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. The effects of behavioural risk factors may show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raisedblood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. These intermediate risks factors can be measured in primary care facilities and indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other complications.
Cessation of tobacco use, reduction of salt in the diet, eating more fruit and vegetables, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Health policies that create conduciveenvironments for making healthy choices affordable and available are essential for motivating people to adopt and sustain healthy behaviours.
There are also a number of underlying determinants of CVDs. These are a reflection of the major forces driving social, economic and cultural change globalization, urbanization and population ageing. Other determinants of CVDs include poverty,stress and hereditary factors.
In addition, drug treatment of hypertension, diabetes and high blood lipids are necessary to reduce cardiovascular risk and prevent heart attacks and strokes among people with these conditions.
Learn To Manage Stress
Managing diabetes is not always easy. Feeling stressed, sad, lonely, or angry is common when you are living with diabetes. You may know what to do to stay healthy but may have trouble sticking with your plan over time. Long-term stress can raise your blood glucose and blood pressure, but you can learn ways to lower your stress. Try deep breathing, gardening, taking a walk, doing yoga, talking with a loved one, working on a hobby, or listening to your favorite music. Learn more about healthy ways to cope with stress.
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Strokes And Heart Attacks Symptoms: What’s The Difference
Although their symptoms and effects can be similar, strokes and heart attacks are two different medical problems. Both are vascular events, meaning they involve the blood vessels, the arteries in particular. Both conditions can also lead to disability and death.
Heart attack
Heart attacks are almost always the result of progressive coronary artery disease . In CAD, the arteries that supply blood to the heart become choked with fatty deposits called plaque that narrow and block arteries – a condition called atherosclerosis. When pieces of plaque break free, blood clots can form, blocking the flow of blood to the heart. When that happens, the heart muscle does not get the oxygen and nutrients that it needs, and parts of the heart may become damaged or die. This is a heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction .
Stroke
When the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, causing a part of the brain to die, it’s called a stroke, or “brain attack.” Stroke is similar to a heart attack, but it affects the blood vessels in the brain instead of the heart.
When the flow of blood to the brain is blocked by a clot, it’s called an ischemic stroke. Another type of stroke, called a transient ischemic attack, is sometimes called a “mini stroke” and is caused by a temporary clot.
Causes of heart attack and stroke
Reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke
What Is The Difference Between A Stroke And A Heart Attack
Both heart attacks and strokes occur suddenly and require immediate medical attention. But when the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke abruptly appear, will you know how to tell the difference between the two?
Both result from a lack of blood flow to critical body parts: a stroke is caused by a blockage in blood flow to the brain, while a heart attack is caused by a blockage in blood flow to the heart. The first aid treatments for each emergency differ. Taking immediate action can mean the difference between survival and recovery, or severe damage for a patient.
If you suspect someone is having a heart attack or stroke, call 911 to receive emergency medical help immediately. Understanding the symptoms of each can help you know what to do until help arrives.
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Obesity And Belly Fat
Being overweight or having obesity can make it harder to manage your diabetes and raise your risk for many health problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure. If you are overweight, a healthy eating plan with fewer calories and more physical activity often will lower your blood glucose levels and reduce your need for medicines.
Excess belly fat around your waist, even if you are not overweight, can raise your chances of developing heart disease.
You have excess belly fat if your waist measures
- more than 40 inches and you are a man
- more than 35 inches and you are a woman
Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke
About half of all Americans have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease and stroke: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.
Both heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death in the United States. Small but gradual lifestyle changes can have a big impact in preventing disease, or in keeping it from worsening. They can also help you prevent serious complications like heart attack.
Find out what you can do to decrease your risk of developing these conditions. Learn the signs and symptoms and what to do if you or a loved one has them.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Heart Attack
The major symptoms of a heart attack are
- Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
- Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.
- Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders.
- Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort, but shortness of breath also can happen before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms of a heart attack could include unusual or unexplained tiredness and nausea or vomiting. Women are more likely to have these other symptoms. Learn more about women and heart disease.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack.1Learn more facts about heart attack and heart disease.
What Is A Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood flow is impeded from reaching the brain. This disruption of blood flow is typically caused by either a blockage or a ruptured blood vessel in the brain both instances prevent oxygen from feeding the brain tissue. If this happens, the oxygen-starved brain cells begin to die rapidly, so immediate treatment is vital to a patients chances of recovery.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a stroke is the fifth most common cause of death in the U.S., killing about 140,000 Americans each year. One out of every 20 deaths is caused by stroke. Thats only a portion of the total number of stroke cases: 795,000 Americans have a stroke each year, and almost one in four of these occurs in individuals who have previously suffered a stroke.
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Prevention Is Key To Both Heart Attack And Stroke
Many of the methods can help you avoid a stroke and a heart attack as well. These are some examples:
- Lower your cholesterol and blood pressure to a healthy level
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Minimize alcohol consumption
- Control blood sugar by exercising most, if not all, days of the week eating a diet low in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium
Certain risk factors, such as age and family health history, are beyond your control. However, you can live a healthy lifestyle that may help minimize your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Do you want to know more about your risk of heart attack and stroke? Have you had a previous heart attack or stroke and wish to lower your chances of having another? Book a teleconsultation with MaNaDr!