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| Heart Attack: Be Alert |
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For some, the pain is intense. For others, it seems like only a lingering irritation somewhere in their upper body. But in either case, the discomfort may be a heart attack. And whether the pain lasts seconds or hours, it can be just as deadly. 'Go to the emergency room immediately if you are experiencing symptoms in your chest that you have never felt before,'says Douglas Anderson, M.D., a cardiologist affiliated with Feather River Hospital. A MEDICAL EMERGENCY Heart disease is the leading cause of death of both men and women in the United States. Every year, about 1.5 million Americans have heart attacks. A heart attack occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed by a buildup of fatlike plaque. This plaque can eventually burst, tear or rupture, causing a blood clot to form and block the artery. The blood supply to the heart muscle is reduced or stopped, which can lead to damage or death to part of the heart muscle. The risk for a heart attack increases with age; for men, the risk rises after 45 and for women, after 50. Other people more prone to have a heart attack include those who have: SURVIVING AN ATTACK If you have a heart attack, the faster you get medical attention, the more likely you are to survive. And the better your chances are that damage to your heart will be limited. Ideally, you should receive treatment within an hour from the time your symptoms start. 'If you get medical help within several hours after a heart attack, the damage on your heart can often be reversed,' Dr. Anderson says. Clot-busting drugs and other arteryopening treatments are available that can stop a heart attack in its tracks. Angioplasty, for example, uses a tiny balloon to open narrowed arteries. Bypass surgery�which uses blood vessels to detour blood around blocked arteries�can also aid in your recovery. One or more bypasses may be needed, depending on how many arteries are blocked. Medicines can be given to protect your heart during and after a heart attack. For example: chest pain. More>> Check out Feather River Hospital's Health Information Search for more heart-healthy news. |
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