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What happens during a Heart Attack? - Coggle Diagram
What happens during a Heart Attack?
Causes
The supply of oxygen to the heart gets significantly reduced
Fatty deposits on the blood vessels walls reduce oxygen flow to the heart
The fatty deposits or plaques grow with age and eventually lead to blockages.
Rupture of the plaques can form blood clots and completely block the blood vessels
The blood clots starve the oxygen cells leading to their death
The injured muscle fails to pump adequate amount of blood and its rhythm is thrown off
This results in heart attack and if unattended can even lead to death
Symptoms
Symptoms vary depending on the age, gender and the health condition of the individuals
Crushing pain in the heart due to oxygen deprivation of the heart
The pain can even radiate to the left hand, jaw, neck, abdomen and back
Nausea and shortness of breath are also common symptoms
Tiredness and weakness in elderly and women patients are major symptoms
For diabetes patients, heart attack can be silent since diabetes impacts their central nervous systems and its ability to convey pain to the brain
Treatment
Quick response is extremely important
Contact emergency medical services for taking the patients to hospitals
Taking aspirins which thins the blood and nitroglycerin which opens up the arteries can reduce the negative effects of the heart attack
In emergency rooms, doctors use ECG and blood tests to measure the heart damage and blockages within the arteries that supply blood to the heart
Through angioplasty, doctors can open up the blocked arteries and polymer or metallic stents can also be inserted in the arteries to keep them open and avoid blackage
In serious cases, coronary bypass surgery is used wherein an artery from the other parts of the body is taken and connected with the heart to reroute the blood flow to the heart and bypass the blocked arteries
Prevention
Genetic and lifestyle factors directly impact the risks of heart attack
Exercise, healthy diet and weight loss substantially reduce the risk of a heart attack
Indulging in aerobic activities and strength training few times a week can reduce the risk of heart attacks
Focus on consuming heart-healthy diets that are low in sugar content and saturated fats
Eating plant fibers, whole grains, walnuts, almonds, chicken and fishes while avoiding red meat
A balanced diet will keep the weight within a healthy range and thereby, lower the risk of a heart attack
Medications like low-dose aspirins and drugs related to high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes
Avoid tobacco usage
Adequate sleep and sound mental health