Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease For Dummies. James M. RippeЧитать онлайн книгу.
In unstable angina, the lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart becomes acute and, therefore, very dangerous because the risk of complications such as heart attack is much greater.
✔ Anginal discomfort at rest or when awakening from sleep
✔ A significant change in the pattern of the angina where it occurs with less exertion or is more severe than before
✔ A significant increase in the severity or frequency of angina
✔ New onset, or first experience, of anginal chest pain
If you experience any one of these characteristics, you must seek immediate medical attention.
Defining a Heart Attack
A heart attack, known medically as a myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when one of the three coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle (myocardium) becomes severely or totally blocked, usually by a blood clot. When the heart muscle doesn’t receive enough oxygenated blood, it begins to die. The severity of the heart attack depends on how much of the heart is injured or dies when the attack occurs.
Understanding the causes of a heart attack
Heart attack almost always is caused when a blood clot forms at the site of an existing fatty plaque that has narrowed the coronary artery. Thus, individuals are at much higher risk for heart attack if they
✔ Have a history of coronary heart disease
✔ Have experienced previous bouts of angina
✔ Have suffered a previous heart attack
Recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack
Different people experience the symptoms of a heart attack in different ways. However, typical symptoms include some or all of the following symptoms (as described by the American Heart Association):
✔ Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
✔ Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck, or arms
✔ Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath
In an individual who has angina, symptoms may be particularly difficult to differentiate from the chest discomfort of angina. However, when a heart attack is occurring, chest discomfort usually is more severe and may occur while the individual is at rest or less active than usual.
The signs of a heart attack often are subtle, particularly with individuals who have diabetes. People with diabetes may not have the classic symptoms of chest, shoulder, or arm discomfort. Chest pain experienced by many women likewise may not present the classic symptoms.
Differentiating between heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest
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