Knowing Heart Attacks: What to Do in an Emergency and Heart Attack Symptoms

A heart attack is a serious medical emergency that has to be treated right once since it poses a danger to life. It happens when there is a major reduction in or obstruction of the blood flow to the heart, mainly as a result of plaques that are formed in the coronary arteries by the buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other chemicals. Atherosclerosis is the name for the process of plaque accumulation.

Myocardial infarction may occur from the abrupt development of blood clots caused by the rupture of these plaques. It should be noted that not all heart attacks cause sudden, severe chest discomfort linked to a blockage in the heart’s blood supply.
signs of a heart attack
Heart attack symptoms may differ across people and demographic groups, manifesting gradually and ranging in severity from moderate to severe. The critical idea that “TIME IS MUSCLE” in myocardial infarction is underscored by the fact that the more damage to the heart muscle that occurs, the longer it takes to treat the problem and restore blood flow.

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Additionally, symptoms might change over a few hours, vary in men and women, and change in older people. Chest pain or discomfort is a common sign of a heart attack and might extend to the upper abdomen, mouth, teeth, back, shoulder, or arm. Additional symptoms include heartburn, nausea, indigestion, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, sweating, and vomiting. Occasionally, the first indication of a heart attack may be abrupt cardiac arrest.
Angina is a warning sign for a catastrophic heart attack since it is generally preceded by a brief drop in cardiac blood flow.
Age, family history, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, excessive alcohol use, obesity, renal illness, and high cholesterol are some of the variables that raise the chance of having a heart attack.
How to respond in an emergency involving a heart attack
It’s important to remain calm in the case that a heart attack seems imminent. It’s critical to act right away:
Take one 325 mg tablet of aspirin.
For fast pain relief, use sublingual nitroglycerine (sorbitrate) by putting it under the tongue.
Seek emergency care at a hospital where thrombolysis is accessible or where interventional cardiology or cath lab capabilities are available for quick intervention.
To quantify myocardial damage and identify those at risk, diagnostic procedures include an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood troponin level assessments.
To restore cardiac function, defibrillation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required in certain situations. Emergency medical staff may offer aid until bystanders who have received training in CPR or defibrillator use arrive.
It is important to keep in mind that your chances of surviving a heart attack increase with the prompt initiation of emergency care.
(Dr. Shabarinath Samudrala, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, kindly provided this article.)