Heart attack – facts you need to know

01:05 PM

Tuesday 16 August 2022

Books – Karim Hassan:

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when part of the heart muscle does not get enough blood flow, and when the muscle is deprived of blood, the potential for long-term damage to the heart increases.

In the following lines, the “Consulto” explains the most prominent scientific facts regarding a heart attack, according to the “Healthline” website.

1- The blockage of blood flow during a heart attack can be complete or partial

Complete blockage of a coronary artery means you’ve had a heart attack (STEMI), or ST-elevation myocardial infarction, while partial blockage is called an NSTEMI, or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

2- Heart attacks increase in young people under the age of 40

Classic risk factors for heart attacks are present in this age group, including:

– diabetic.

– Hypertension.

Smoking.

Accumulation of fat in the body.

– Substance abuse.

– Previous heart attack.

Read also: How do you detect a silent heart attack?

3- Heart attacks are usually accompanied by 5 main symptoms

The most common symptoms of a heart attack include:

Chest pain or discomfort.

Feeling weak, dizzy, or faint.

Pain in the jaw, neck or back.

Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulder.

– Shortness of breath.

Sweating or nausea

4- Women are more likely to have different symptoms of a heart attack

Women are more likely to experience symptoms associated with a heart attack, such as the following:

Chest pain that is different from the normal feeling of pressure.

– Shortness of breath.

Nausea.

– vomiting.

– Back ache.

Jaw pain.

5- Weather temperature can affect the chances of having a heart attack

Day-to-day fluctuations in temperature are significantly associated with the chances of a heart attack, which was found by a study presented at the 77th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology.

Given that some climate models link extreme weather events with global warming, the new findings suggest that climate change might, in turn, lead to an increase in the incidence of heart attacks.

You may be interested in: Multiple Causes of Sudden Chest Pain – When to See a Doctor?

6- Having a previous heart attack increases the risk of having another

20% of adults age 45 or older who have had a heart attack will likely have another heart attack within 5 years.