| HEART ATTACH |
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A sudden change in the motion of the cardiac muscles, and its resultant effects of the individual is termed a heart attack, scientifically it is known as a myocardial infraction, the attacks usually cause the appearance of a sudden, stabbing pains in the chest and thoracic region, these pains expand down the left arm and are very acutely felt by the person. The severity of the pain can be such intense feelings of anxiety, panic and breathlessness are generated in the person. This is not necessarily the way heart attacks come on, and moreover a great number of heart attacks also occur without a sensation of pain and with the appearance of very few symptoms, appearing as a sudden constriction or pressure on the chest, leaving the person feeling weak and helpless. Sometimes the only physical signs of an impending heart attack are the outbreaks of perspiration, a sudden physical weakness, and the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. Periods of physical or emotional stress are often the times when heart attacks are initiated. Heart attacks often occur in the middle of the night and result in the person suddenly waking up from sleep; this takes place especially after a filling meal. The onset of recurrent attacks of angina is a precursor to heart attack, they can be considered to be warning signs for eventual cardiac arrest. Whenever an angina attack that persists for longer than a few minutes, and is not reduced in intensity by resting or treatment with nitroglycerine, it can be regarded as an emergency and accordingly treated. An emergency must also be declared where the persistence of pain in the chest pain that lasts longer than two minutes. Warning signs and symptoms do not precede all impending heart attacks. The cellular death resulting from the denial of oxygen to cardiac tissue when a part of the heart muscle is denied blood and oxygen for a period of time is the cause of a heart attack. The heart will stop beating altogether especially if the affected area is large, as the heart will not be able to function properly without good oxygenation of tissue. The heart muscle and the heart as a whole can learn to compensate for the death of tissue if the area is smaller, with sufficient care the body recovers and some normality is attained. One of the results the failure to compensate fully after a series of heart attacks is heart failure. This is usually fatal. The critical and most important time is the immediate few hours following a heart attack. The chances of a full and complete recovery are increased the longer the heart attack victim survives this critical period. Therefore the recognition of a heart attack as soon as it occurs is very important. A well-establish coronary heart disease due to arteriosclerosis is often the reason a heart attack develops in a person. The single most important influence on the heart is the daily diet taken by an individual. The consumption of a lot of ready-made, processed and packaged foods and most restaurant foods are not only hard on the digestive tract, but also on the coronary arteries increasing the susceptibility of arterial clogging and the resulting chance for a heart attack. Some other very damaging and detrimental products include a lot of saturated fats found in deep-fried foods and most salad and cooking oils. Excess weight and obesity is another risk factor for a heart attack, other factors that constitute a risk of heart attack in a person include a high blood pressure, smoking and sedentary habits, especially if these factors are combined with the additional pressures of a high-stress lifestyle which is another major contributor to the chances of a heart attack. There can also be hereditary and genetic predisposition to an attack, other things that might increase the chances of a heart attack are the use of oral contraceptives, and people like diabetics are also at higher risk. |


