Understand About Heart Attack
Heart attack is a sudden occurrence of coronary thrombosis, typically resulting in the death of part of a heart muscle and sometimes fatal.
In the present population, heart diseases are the leading cause of death in both urban and rural areas. As per the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), there is at least one report of a new or recurrent heart stroke for every 45 seconds in India. Also, a heart attack kills one person every 3.1 minutes in India. Since so many people are subjected to death because of this disease, it is important for you to understand about the disease in detail.
Heart attack
Heart attack is a sudden blockage in the blood supply to the heart muscles. This occurs due to a 100% obstruction of the artery supplying the heart muscles leading to the death of the muscle due to oxygen deprivation.
The severity of the attack is based on the extent of the muscles affected. It is considered as a mild attack if only 5–10% of the heart muscles are involved. Most of the patients who get a mild heart attack can survive. But, if the blockage affects 30–40% of the heart muscles, then it is considered as severe heart attack and the patient needs immediate management. Otherwise, death can occur.
Let us see the population at risk for heart disease
Elderly: The incidence of heart disease is high in elderly population. However, these days, even the younger population is facing heart attacks for several other reasons.
Gender: In general, men are at higher risk of getting heart attacks as compared to women. But due to excess stress, women are also more prone to heart attacks in the present population.
Heredity: A family history of a heart attack can strongly put you to the risk of getting a heart attack. So, understand your family history much in advance so that you can take the precautionary steps to prevent or decrease your risk for the disease.
Causes of heart attack: Heart attack occurs due to the clogging of the arteries supplying the heart muscles. This can occur due to several factors as below:
Foods rich in cholesterol can lead to the deposition of fat and cholesterol in the arterial vessel walls. This is considered as the major culprit for heart attack. Consequently, the blood that flows through such vessels can form clots. As the size of such clots increases, it can completely block the supply leading to the death of the muscles.
A high blood pressure is also considered as a “silent killer”. It increases the strain on the blood vessels and causes fat deposition in the arterial walls.
Obesity can also increase your risk for heart diseases including heart attack. Lack of physical activity along with excess food intake is causing obesity in more number of people.
Psychological stress can lead to the spasms of the coronary arteries and is an important risk factor for heart diseases.
Tobacco and alcohol consumption are hazardous for the health of the heart.
Do not ignore the heart problems as it is a matter of life and death. If you notice the signs or symptoms of heart disease then take the necessary steps, right away. The more prompt your actions are, the more safe you will be! Save lives by helping faster!