Remember those Bollywood scenes where throbbing pain at the core of the chest was executed as the only heart attack symptom? Well, in real life, early signs of heart disease could be a lot more than just a heart-wrenching pain. Whether you’re a young adult at the age of 20, a middle-aged person at the age of 50 or a senior citizen at the age of 75, a heart attack can affect you at any age. Did you know that sometimes, feeling negative emotions can be one of the early signs of heart disease? So take a moment — even though what you just read seems daunting, this is your reminder to smile right now. Find spots during your day when you can take a break, find something fun to laugh about, and go on with your day. Our blog will help you understand heart attack symptoms, early signs of heart disease, and how we at SPARSH Hospital can help you get better with all matters related to your heart and your health. Let’s start with the basics.

What is a Heart Attack?

A blockage of blood flow to the heart through the coronary arteries limits the amount of oxygen being carried. This results in an inadequate supply of blood to the whole body and without blood, tissue loses oxygen and dies, resulting in a heart attack. In medical terms, a heart attack is also known as a myocardial infarction (MI). The risk of chances of getting a heart attack increases with the age.

Symptoms of Heart Attack

If you detect early signs of heart disease, the next step would be to consult a doctor as soon as possible. It is necessary to know the symptoms of a heart attack, so you can take necessary measures at once, instead of dismissing it as a temporary feeling or condition. Below are some of the symptoms, from the less severe ones to the more severe ones.

1. Sweating, vomiting, or dizziness
2. Feeling weak, fatigue, anxious, light-headed
3. Shortness of breath or nausea
4. Severe pain in jaw, back or throat
5. Severe pain in both arms and shoulders
6. Sudden throbbing pain, heaviness, pressure, tightness around the chest or below the breastbone

In addition to these symptoms, women may suffer an additional jolt of:

• Nausea
• Breaking out in cold sweat
• Uncomfortable pain in the middle of the chest
• Discomfort in the stomach area (feels like indigestion)
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Sheer pain in the neck, shoulder, or/and back

It is important to note that different people may experience different symptoms at the time of a heart attack. Consulting your cardiologist if you face any warning signs is always advisable.

Causes of Heart Attack

So far, we read about how we could spot a heart attack, but why does it happen? It is crucial to understand the causes to support the saying: “Prevention is better than cure.” If we have a glimpse of the component factors behind the causes of a heart attack, the probability of preventing the attack is more. Heart attacks are caused by a blockage or clot in coronary arteries of the heart which are responsible for carrying blood. Over time, the blockage may arise because of excessive amounts of cholesterol, fats or plaque stuck inside the heart, which can narrow the arteries. These substances are the result of unhealthy eating habits and thus lead to coronary artery disease. During a coronary failure, plaque or a fat deposit can burst and release cholesterol and other different substances into the circulatory system. Blood coagulation structures form at the site of the crack. In the event that the coagulation is huge, it can obstruct the blood course through the coronary supply route, keeping the heart from oxygen and supplements; this is called ischemia. Another reason for the heart attack is a spasm of a coronary artery that closes down the bloodstream to the part of the heart muscle. Intake of tobacco and illegal drugs like cocaine can cause a dangerous fit. Given below is the detailed list of risk factors that play a role in causing heart attack:

• Age: People above the age of 40 are more prone to heart attacks than younger ones.
• Obesity: High BMI (body mass index) can increase the risk of heart diseases. They also affect triglycerides, cholesterol and fatty acids, which are determinants of heart blockage.
• Lack of working out: Bodies are more likely to store carbohydrates when they are not utilized, which stores itself in pouches of fats. This leads to more chances of heart blockage.
• Stress: Different ways of exposure to stress can lead to an increased chance of having heart disease. For example, violence, overthinking, anger, etc. are common stress inducers.
• Tobacco: Intake of tobacco can increase the chances of being diagnosed with a heart disease and a higher risk of getting a heart attack.
• Diabetes: People having a history of diabetes already have a low amount of insulin which can increase the chance of having a heart attack.
• History of heart attacks: If anyone in the family like parents or grandparents has a history of heart attacks, then their family lineage is more prone to cardiac diseases and heart attack.

Prevention

Caring about your health and your heart is a good place to begin with. Making the choice to start living a healthy life is the first step. If you have had any prior heart diseases or have suffered from a heart attack, then you too will agree with the fact that prevention is better than cure. There are a few preventative measures you can take to lead on a healthy life. The first is to make lifestyle changes, so your day-to-day routine follows a healthy living. It’s been said more than once: we have the power to heal and treat our body with minimal lifestyle habits and changes. Taking small steps like working out everyday for around half an hour, switching to following a healthy and enriched diet that includes good sources of fiber, protein, vitamins, etc., managing stress through practices like breathing exercises or meditation can lead to a healthier and better bigger picture. At SPARSH Hospital, the Department of Cardiac Sciences carries along the proficiency, expertise and knowledge in our operation through our skilled doctors. SPARSH believes in collaborating innovative technology with medicine to birth prosperity and relief to the patient. The Department of Cardiac Sciences comprises experts and consultants who are extremely skilled and experienced. SPARSH Hospital takes care of different cardiac diseases and has different sub-departments like Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Heart Transplant, Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology for specialised treatment of particular disorders. The staff and assistants treat every patient with love, care, respect and kindness. We aim at providing healthcare to all irrespective of their backgrounds, to make professional healthcare accessible to all.