Heart Attack

Description

* Heart attack and angina are two of the most serious causes
of chest pain.
* A heart attack is the death of heart muscle precipitated by
the complete blockage of a diseased coronary artery by a
blood clot.

A heart attack is the death of heart muscle precipitated by the complete blockage of a diseased coronary artery by a blood clot.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) include the following:

* Chest pain that is crushing, squeezing, or feels like a
heavy weight on the chest, a tight band around the chest or
a dull ache in the middle of the chest
* Chest pain associated with:
o Shortness of breath
o Nausea or vomiting
o Pain that radiates from the chest to the neck,
jaw, or one or both arms
o Dizziness or light-headedness
o Increased perspiration
o Fast or irregular pulse

Prevention

Rather than waiting for warning signs of cardiovascular disease, think about what you can do now to prevent it. Even if you have been diagnosed with angina or have had a heart attack, you can still play an active role in preventing disease progression.

The following life style modifications are of proven benefit:

* Don't smoke. The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher
your heart disease risk.
* Avoid foods that contain saturated fat and cholesterol.
Limit fat to 30% of your daily calories by balancing
occasional high-fat foods with low-fat choices, such as
fruits, vegetables and grains.
* Control your blood pressure and blood cholesterol
levels. Small elevations in blood pressure above 140/90
mm Hg can double your cardiovascular disease risk.
* Exercise. Choose aerobic activity such as brisk
walking, swimming, jogging or cycling. Gradually work
up to exercising 30 to 45 minutes at least three times
a week.
* Control your sugar. If you are diabetic, make sure your
sugar control is as strict as possible since this will
also delay the process of atherosclerosis (the
narrowing of coronary arteries because of the
accumulation of cholesterol plaque on their inside
walls).