Introduction:
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, happens when a part of the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart muscle. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of heart attacks.
Experience:
A person who is experiencing a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, will feel pain in their chest and other parts of their body, as well as other symptoms.
Spotting the early signs of a heart attack and getting prompt treatment is crucial and can save a person’s life.
A heart attack is different. Trusted Source from cardiac arrest, in which the heart stops working completely. Both are medical emergencies, and without treatment, a heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of a heart attack:
Symptoms include:
a feeling of pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing, or aching in the chest
pain that spreads to the arms, neck, jaw, or back
a feeling of crushing or heaviness in the chest
a feeling similar to heartburn or indigestion
nausea and sometimes vomiting
feeling clammy and sweaty.
shortness of breath
feeling lightheaded or dizzy
In some cases, anxiety can feel similar to a panic attack.
coughing or wheezing if fluid builds up in the lungs
The symptoms can vary in their order and duration; they may last several days or come and go suddenly.
The following may also develop:
Hypoxemia: This involves low levels of oxygen in the blood.
Pulmonary edema: This involves fluid accumulating in and around the lungs.
Cardiogenic shock: This involves blood pressure dropping suddenly because the heart cannot supply enough blood for the rest of the body to work adequately.
Females and males sometimes experience heart attacks differently.
Treatment:
A heart attack is life threatening and needs emergency attentionTrusted Source.
Nowadays, many people survive heart attacks, due to effective treatment. Delaying treatment, however, dramatically reduce the chances of survival.
Do manual chest compressions:
Lock your fingers together and place the base of your hands in the center of the chest.
Position your shoulders over your hands, lock your elbows, and press hard and fast, at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. Press to a depth of 2 inches.
Continue these movements until the person starts to breathe or move, until someone else can take over, or until you are exhausted.
If possible, take turns without pausing the compressions.
Medical treatment:
When the emergency team arrives, they will take over the person’s care.
Give the team as much detail as possible about the person’s health and what was happening before the event.
The team will try to stabilize the person’s condition, including providing oxygen.
In the hospital, a medical team will perform tests and provide appropriate treatmentTrusted Source.
Many approaches can help, but three common options are:
medications, including those to dissolve blood clots
percutaneous coronary intervention, a mechanical method of restoring blood flow to any damaged tissue.
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