Heart Attack and Its Early Recognition
Published on May 27, 2016 and last reviewed on Dec 23, 2022 - 1 min read
Abstract
Recognizing the early signs of a heart attack is crucial, as it helps prevent further heart damage. Learn about the life-saving steps you can take at home.
Heart is the vital pumping organ of the body. Its damage can be catastrophic, but the good news is that there are preventive measures.
Heart attack is irreversible death of heart tissue, which occurs when the oxygen supply to a specific part of the heart cuts off due to decreased blood supply or partial block in the blood supply to the heart.
Signs of Heart Attack
- Severe left sided chest pain can spread to the left arm, neck and back. The pain can last for 30-60 minutes. The pain can be described as a sharp stabbing pain, squeezing or burning pain.
- Severe anxiety and sweating is commonly seen.
- The patient can feel the fast heart beating also known as palpitations. Breathlessness may also be seen.
- Cough, abnormal breathing sounds or frothy sputum sometimes may be associated.
Life Saving Step
You can take immediate life saving steps at home before being transferred to hospital. Take an Aspirin tablet 75 mg to 200 mg maximum immediately. This helps in decreasing chest pain and also helps in improving the blood supply to the damaged region. Reach the Emergency Department of the Hospital as soon as possible. Reaching within 2 hours is considered to give better outcome of the disease.
Never make the patient to walk or stand during a heart attack. No physical stress should be allowed and patients should be reassured in order to decrease anxiety.
Investigation
Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the first and routine investigation of this condition.
Medical Therapy
It is decided on the type of myocardial infarction. MI is of two types, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI or NSTEMI).
STEMI needs immediate thrombolytic therapy that dissolves the clots and the NSTEMI attack treatment is totally different from the one expressed above. Your cardiologist will take the best action for you.
If you are still in doubt regarding heart attack, then consult a cardiologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/cardiologist
Frequently Asked Questions
1.
What Is Meant by Early Detection of Heart Disease?
Early detection of heart disease can make a difference between life and mortality. Heart disease is usually fatal in some cases. Early detection of heart disease can lead to better chances and conditions of treating it.
2.
What Are Four Signs Seen Before a Heart Attack?
The four signs that are seen before a heart attack are chest pain, shortness of breath, pain or discomfort in the shoulders or arms, and pain or discomfort in the jaw, back, or neck. These signs are often called silent warning signs of a heart attack. The signs may occur weeks or hours before the actual heart attack.
3.
Can a Person Feel a Heart Attack Coming?
Sometimes the signs of a heart attack occur weeks or hours before the actual heart attack. The person cannot feel a heart attack coming; it is usually sudden in occurrence. It can occur anytime, anywhere, and mostly affects the old age group.
4.
What Is Meant by Pre-heart Attack?
A heart attack with its own beginning and occasion is called a pre-attack heart attack. The symptoms of a pre-heart attack involve chest pain, fatigue, heartburn, indigestion, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath. If a heart attack is experienced for more than 15 minutes, the heart muscles become prone to critical damage.
5.
How to Diagnose Silent Heart Attack?
A silent heart attack occurs when the heart muscles get damaged due to inadequate oxygen supply to the tissues. The diagnosis of a silent heart attack can be made by physical examination, blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), coronary angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), exercise stress test, nuclear stress test, and echocardiogram.
6.
How Long Does Silent Heart Attack Persists?
The duration of a silent heart attack varies from person to person. When the blood flow stops supplying the heart for fifteen minutes, the heart may get damaged. After thirty minutes of a heart attack, the damage may become irreversible.
7.
Can a Heart Attack Be Detected by ECG?
Heart attacks can be detected by an electrocardiogram (ECG). It helps to record the electrical signals of the heart. It is usually a painless and easy test to detect and monitor heart problems. To detect a heart attack from an electrocardiogram (ECG), the person must have symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arms and shoulders.
8.
How Long Can the Duration of a Heart Attack Persist?
Heart attacks may often last from a few minutes to a few hours. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person; also, the duration is different for every individual. The symptoms of a heart attack can last for about fifteen minutes and more than that.
9.
Can a Person Have a Mild Heart Attack Without Knowing It?
Mild heart attack is not associated with serious symptoms. It is often described by symptoms like squeezing, pain, or uncomfortable pressure. The symptoms are so mild that it becomes difficult for the person to know whether he or she is suffering from a heart attack.
10.
How Late Can Heart Attack Be Detected?
The most commonly used heart attack marker is troponin. It can be tested immediately just after the symptoms of a heart attack appear. The risk of troponin levels is seen four hours after a heart attack and reaches to peak level between 24 and 48 hours. Increased level of troponin persists for about seven days.
11.
Can Heart Attack Wake Person?
A heart attack can wake a person from sleep. Sleep disturbance occurs suddenly as the person experiences symptoms such as nausea, shortness of breath, digestive problems, and indigestion. While a silent heart attack may not awaken the person, and the person may not necessarily sense or feel chest discomfort.
12.
Can a Person Survive a Heart Attack Alone?
A serious heart attack lasts about 20 minutes, and if the person does not receive treatment, he or she tends to die on the spot. Some people may get abnormal heart failure or heart rhythm which can be serious. People who wait for a longer time to get help may develop a risk of severe damage to their hearts, and the survival rate is also very low in such cases.
13.
What Triggers a Heart Attack in a Person?
When the arteries that send oxygen and blood to blood vessels get blocked, it leads to a heart attack. Cholesterol and fatty acid-containing deposits that build up over time form plaque in heart arteries. The unexpected triggers of heart attack are migraine, cold weather, air pollution, heavy meals, negative emotions, intense workout, asthma, sex, and alcohol.
14.
How Does a Person Feels After Suffering From Mild Heart Attack?
A person may feel fatigued after suffering from a mild heart attack. Discomfort in the center part of the chest is often experienced after a mild heart attack. Most people stay in hospital for a few days or weeks after they have had a mild heart attack.
15.
How Does Aspirin Helps in Preventing Heart Attack?
Aspirin interferes with the clotting action of blood. It works on platelet by stopping the blood’s clotting mechanism. During a heart attack, the blood clots in the blood vessels through which the blood flows. Aspirin has anti-clotting action that makes the blood flow easily through the arteries.
Last reviewed at:
23 Dec 2022 - 1 min read
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