What to Do If You Have a Heart Attack and Don't Know What to Do?

Sudden death could be the initial and only symptom of a silent heart attack (SHA). Silent heart attacks had the same fatality rates as non-silent heart attacks, according to a study. As far as heart attack symptoms go, a SHA is extremely difficult to detect and is usually discovered long after the incident with a comprehensive review of medical history, an ECG (electrocardiogram; detects heart activity), and blood testing for cardiac enzymes. A stress test or a blood test that identifies particular hormones in the blood are two further methods of detection.

The heart is irreversibly injured since the patient is unaware of the attack and a substantial amount of time is squandered. These attacks are concerning since it is critical to seek and receive immediate care following an attack in order to recover and survive. Those who have had a previous heart attack, those who have diabetes, men and women over the age of 65, and those who are prone to strokes are the most vulnerable to SHAs. Individuals who take medication on a regular basis may also suffer a SHA, although further research is needed. When compared to those who had a myocardial infarction (MI) with chest pain, twice as many people die from a SHA.

Restoring blood supply to the heart is the most critical treatment for a SHA. The majority of the symptoms of a standard heart attack are absent in these silent attacks, but they can still be identified by common signs such as discomfort in your chest, arms, or jaw that goes away after resting, fatigue or extreme tiredness, nausea, sweating (especially cold sweat), breathlessness, and dizziness. A fascinating statistic is that 25-30% of all heart attacks go unnoticed.

Women are thought to undergo silent attacks a little more frequently than males. They can include chest, arm, or jaw discomfort that seems to go away after sleeping, as well as shortness of breath and exhaustion. An attack occurs in a considerable number of diabetic women and those over the age of 65 who have no symptoms. However, chest pain is not always an indication of SHA. Chest discomfort, arm and/or jaw problems that go away when you rest, easily becoming weary, and suffering shortness of breath are all common SHA symptoms. A sense of approaching doom is an unusual symptom that isn't typically described or fully explained in normal and SHAs. If you believe you have had a SHA, you should take a non-acetaminophen aspirin, as studies have shown that this can help avoid cardiac damage caused by a SHA.

Women

Women are less likely than males to feel they are suffering a heart attack, despite the fact that they account for roughly half of all heart attack deaths. They're also more inclined to put off obtaining emergency help. Women with the greatest calcium levels were particularly vulnerable. Heart attacks are more common in women after menopause. According to one study, about 5% of women who are considered to be at low risk for heart disease are still at risk for cardiovascular problems due to calcium buildup in their arteries.

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Women's symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed. Women are more likely than men to experience cardiovascular events later in age, and these events are more commonly deadly or incapacitating. If you have diabetes, you should quit smoking, take efforts to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep your blood sugar under control. Instead of crushing chest pain, women may have odd symptoms such as soreness between the shoulder blades. The most common symptom of a heart attack in women is chest pain or discomfort, much like in men. However, several of the other typical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw discomfort, are more common in women than in males.

Important Risk Factors

- Diabetic complications

- Hypertension (high blood pressure)

- Hypercholesterolemia hypercholesterolemia hypercholesterolemia hypercholesterol.

- A positive history of heart attack and stroke in the family

- Tobacco use

- Obesity - "Central obesity" is defined as a waist circumference of greater than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women.

Because women develop heart disease later than males, sometimes at the age of 65, the risks are frequently underestimated. Younger women are developing heart disease earlier than previously assumed, according to studies. According to one study, calcium buildup in the arteries of women still poses a risk of cardiovascular disease. Routine measurement of coronary artery calcium to assess heart risk in women is being considered.

While there are no known ways to lower coronary artery calcium, women can lower their risk of heart disease by monitoring calcium, which can reveal whether or not they are at an increased risk. They will be able to benefit from preventative measures as a result of this discovery. There are currently no recognized methods for lowering calcium levels. Women must compensate by making lifestyle adjustments that lower risk factors like cholesterol.

An disruption in the supply of blood to the heart, commonly as a result of obstruction of a coronary artery due to coronary artery disease, causes necrosis of a section of the heart muscle. A blood clot (thrombus) lodged in a region of a coronary artery thickened with cholesterol-containing plaque owing to atherosclerosis is the most common cause. It's caused by a blocked or severely restricted coronary artery, which prevents oxygen and nutrients from reaching the heart muscle.

Blood flow can be restored by dissolving clots in the artery (thrombolysis) or by employing a balloon to press the artery open (angioplasty). Because the person is unaware of the reason for the heart attack, coronary artery blocks, the person continues to live the same lifestyle that contributed to the formation of the blocks. Silent heart attacks are just the most extreme form of a disorder known as "silent ischemia," which is characterized by a prolonged lack of oxygen- and nutrient-bearing blood to a part of the heart. Although chest discomfort is the most common symptom, acute shortness of breath is frequently a close second.

The patient must seek out and apply reliable, scientifically validated knowledge that can help avoid and even reverse advanced coronary artery blockages. Adopting a regular and intelligent workout regimen is the most reliable way to improve your cardiac health (even if you have significant coronary artery blockage). A test for coronary artery calcium is simple to perform, and lifestyle adjustments can begin right away.

Damaged

The patient is unaware of the infarction in the case of a silent heart attack, and because critical time is spent, the heart is irreparably damaged. It might be upsetting to learn that your heart has been significantly injured as a result of your failure to respond quickly after a silent attack. Your doctor can do tests to look for damaged cardiac tissue and problems with the heart's pumping motion. This shows the regions of the heart that are healthy and those that are diseased.

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