Relevant answers to your frequent questions...

Heart Attack: Frequently Asked Questions

What are symptoms of heart attack?

The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major symptoms of a heart attack: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. This can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort. ...
The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major symptoms of a heart attack: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. This can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort. ...
Source: www.cdc.gov
Uncomfortable pressure, heaviness, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes. Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside arms or shoulders. Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath. Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin. Paleness or Pallor. ...
Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes. Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside the arms or shoulders. Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath. Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin. Paleness or pallor. ...

What are the signs of a heart attack?

Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach Other symptoms, such as shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air), breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), or feeling faint or woozy Some women have more vague symptoms such as: Unusual tiredness, trouble sleeping, problems breathing, indigestion
Chest discomfort or uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or comes and goes. Spreading pain to one or both arms, back, jaw, or stomach. Cold sweats and nausea.
Not everyone has all of the warning signs of heart attack. And, sometimes these signs can go away and come back. Symptoms of a heart attack include: Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach Other symptoms, such as shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air), breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea (feeling sick ...

What causes a heart attack?

The cause of a heart attack, silent or otherwise is almost always atherosclerosis, which is the progressive narrowing of the heart's arteries from accumulations of cholesterol plaque. This plaque ruptures and a clot or thrombus forms at the site of injury. This plaque and clot completely obstruct the flow of blood to the heart muscle the coronary artery supplies.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack is an event that causes damage to your heart. Sometimes, it can be life-threatening, even fatal. Occasionally, someone may have a heart attack and not even know it. The cause of most heart attacks is sudden clot in a blood vessel feeding the heart. This blood vessel may be filled with fat and debris called “plaque” that slows blood flow in the artery or eventually breaks open into the bloodstream leading to the sudden clot that stops blood flow to a part of your heart muscle.
The heart muscle receives its blood supply from arteries which run over the outside surface of the heart (the coronary arteries). Over time these arteries can become narrowed or furred up. A heart attack occurs when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked by a blood clot, at the site of one of these narrowings, this causes the muscle to be starved of oxygen and leads to damage to the heart muscle. Chest pain is a sign that this damage is occurring.
The heart is a muscle that pumps oxygen-supplying blood throughout the body. The heart muscle itself is supplied with oxygen by the coronary arteries - four main arteries that surround the heart so that every part of it is constantly supplied with life sustaining, oxygenated blood. If any of these arteries becomes blocked, a section of the heart will be deprived of oxygen. ...
A heart attack (an acute myocardial infarction or MI) is most often caused by a blood clot forming in an artery where coronary artery disease is present. Blood and nutrients are unable to reach the heart muscle below the blockage and the heart muscle dies. The seriousness of a heart attack depends on the amount and extent of damage. Irreparable heart damage may occur within a very short time.
Source: cvimed.com
Back to Top A heart attack or myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped. This occurs when one of the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle) is blocked by an obstruction, often plaque buildup on the artery wall, or by a blood clot. As a result, heart muscle cells do not receive enough oxygen and begin to die. This can cause irregular heart rhythms or even sudden cardiac arrest or stopping of the heart beat. Death can result. ...

Is a heart attack a type of heart disease?

A heart attack is usually a complication of coronary heart disease. The coronary arteries can become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fatty material within their walls. (This process is called 'atherosclerosis' and the fatty material is called 'atheroma'. ) In time, the artery may become so narrow that it cannot deliver enough oxygen-containing blood to the heart muscle when its demands are high such as when you are doing exercise. The pain or discomfort that happens as a result is called angina. ...

What are the symptoms of heart disease or a heart attack?

Chest pain may be a warning of heart disease or a heart or it may be a symptom of a heart attack. Other symptoms include discomfort, or pain going to the neck, back, jaw, arms or shoulder. Other signs may include numbness or tingling in one or both arms, nausea or vomiting, unexplained anxiety, weakness fatigue, swelling, shortness of breathe, palpitations, cold sweat or paleness. Signs of indigestion or heartburn may also be signs or symptoms of heart disease or a heat attack.

What exactly is the difference between an angina attack and a heart attack?

In angina there is no death of the heart muscle tissue. It is reversible. There is enough blockage to cause pain, but not enough blockage to cause death of the muscle. Often angina, ie chest pain, is a warning signal for a possible heart attack.

What is the difference between a heart attack and congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure is an inadequate pumping of the heart. It may be caused by the damage that occurs in a heart attack, but it may also have other causes such as infection of the heart muscle.

Does my heart get damaged during heart attack?

YES, when one gets a heart attack blood supply is completely cutoff to a certain portion of heart. If the blood supply – oxygen supply is not restored to that part of the heart within the first 60-90 minutes then the muscles of the heart dies due to lack of oxygen. This creates the permanent scar . The scarred part of the heart will always remain dead and the heart has to compensate the blood supply to the body through the rest of the heart, which is alive. ...

Is this the same as a heart attack?

In humans a “heart attack” usually refers to myocardial infarction (MI). This is death of the cells in an area of the heart muscle (myocardium). This is usually due to oxygen deprivation caused by obstruction of the coronary blood vessels. MI is not a common disease of dogs, but it can occur. In dogs heart failure is more commonly due to either DCM or to congestive heart failure (CHF) or mitral valve disease.

Can Haemochromatosis cause a heart attack?

Haemochromatosis in situations of very high ferritin levels e.g. greater than 1000ug/L can cause reduced cardiac function which can be diagnosed on an echocardiogram. However, the blood vessels are not usually the main problem in Haemochromatosis, but the heart muscle. ...

What are the Main Symptoms of a Heart Attack?

Many people think a heart attack is clear and intense. The reality is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. We recommend that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack. The following are some of the most common heart attack warning signs: Chest discomfort. Most heart attack victims report discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes. Often, the discomfort goes away and comes back. General Discomfort. ...

When would a heart attack be work-related?

When there is a medical diagnosis that mental or physical stress from work activities contributed to the heart attack.

What makes the heart restart after an attack?

As the oxygen level decreases in the brain, there is a chemical release [the fail-safe mechanism], which induces the heartbeat and breathing mechanisms to restart.

What are the warning signs of a heart attack?

Chest pain possibly spreading to the left or right arm, neck, jaw, or center of the back. Shortness of breath, heavy sweating and nausea. Actions for any one experiencing the signs or symptoms should be to lie or sit quietly and call 911 right away.
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
You may have one or more of the following warning signs: Chest pain or discomfort Pain or discomfort in your arms, back, jaw, or neck Indigestion or stomach pain Shortness of breath Sweating Nausea or vomiting Light-headedness

What is a heart attack or myocardial infarction?

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. Without blood and the oxygen it carries, part of the heart starts to die.

Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest a heart attack?

In a heart attack, the blood supply to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, killing all or part of the heart. Heart attack victims usually experience chest pain and usually remain conscious. Heart attacks are serious and sometimes lead to sudden cardiac arrest. But SCA often occurs independently of a heart attack and without warning signs. SCA results in death if not treated immediately.
A heart attack is a condition in which the blood supply to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, resulting in the death of the heart muscle. Heart attack victims usually (but not always) experience chest pain and usually remain conscious. Heart attacks are serious and sometimes will lead to sudden cardiac arrest. However, sudden cardiac arrest may occur independently from a heart attack and without warning signs. Sudden cardiac arrest results in death if not treated immediately.

Why is a heart attack an emergency?

A heart attack is an emergency because the sudden loss of blood supply to the heart muscle causes two problems: It increases the risk of having a life threatening irregular heart beat. Sadly, three out of every ten people who have a heart attack will die before they reach hospital because of an irregular heart beat. It causes their heart to stop and without emergency resuscitation they will die. ...
Bookmark this page  

Also on SnappyFingers: