Oct 9, 2024
By: BI India Bureau
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A heart attack is a condition when the blood flow to the heart is reduced significantly or gets completely blocked.
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Many people confuse heart attacks with cardiac arrest. However, cardiac arrest happens when the activity of the heart is stopped due to irregular rhythms.
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The most common cause of heart attacks is the buildup of plaque in arteries, which is also known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Apart from that if a blood clot is formed in the artery it can get big enough to block the blood flow to the heart.
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The most common symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort in the middle or left side, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, cold sweats, and pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.
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While individuals aged 45 years or older are at higher risk for heart attacks, younger people can also be affected. Major risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity.
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Prevention of heart attack is not as difficult as people think. Simple things like maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a clean diet, exercising regularly, managing stress and not smoking or drinking work wonders against the chances of getting a heart attack.
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Diagnosis of a heart attack involves medical history, physical exam, ECG, blood tests, imaging tests and coronary angiography to identify blockages and assess heart function.
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Treatment options for heart attacks include medications, angioplasty, stenting, bypass surgery, lifestyle changes and cardiac rehabilitation to improve heart health and prevent future events.
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Common myths about heart attacks include believing that they only affect older people, that symptoms are always severe and that heart disease is unrelated to lifestyle factors like diet and exercise.
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