Yeah, it seems funny as your own heart just chokes itself & ends your Life. Mr Heart, Just Why?

Heart attack death is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. It is more common among the individuals of all races and gender and age. Middle-aged men have a higher risk of heart attack as compared to women of the same age. And on the contrary, older women have a higher risk of heart attack as compared to men their age.According to American Heart Association, every 3 out of 10 Americans suffers from a heart attack. India is not far behind in this trend. However, it is more prominent in individuals living in urban areas as compared to people living in the rural areas.

What is a heart attack?

Take care of your heart before its too lateTalking about Heart attack death,  heart attack is a condition which occurs when there is not much oxygen provision to the heart muscles. This would happen when there isn’t enough blood flow into the heart and therefore, low oxygen input into the heart. Its almost as though your heart ‘suffocates’ thereby causing a heart attack.During this condition, the heart struggles to pump blood into and out of the blood vessels, hence the ‘attack’.

What are the possible causes?

There are a multitude of reasons behind the heart attack. The most important reason being the lifestyle. Heart attack is now categorized as a ‘lifestyle’ disease.

Lack of exercise or physical activity, eating unhealthy or junk food, lots of stress are few of the main reasons that could provoke an attack.

Also, individuals having coronary artery disease, a condition where the arteries narrow because of deposition of fats and cholesterol, are more prone to heart attack.Another major reason for heart attack is the ‘atherosclerosis‘. It’s a condition where there is a lump of blood vessels formed, thereby blocking the blood flow to or from the heart. This again, happens because of intake of unhealthy and fatty food and diets rich in cholesterol. Because of the clot formed, sometimes, because of the high blood flow, even the blood vessels may rupture causing internal bleeding coupled with heart attack.

Symptoms of a Heart attack

• The first symptom of heart attack would be pain, discomfort and tightness, especially in the chest and below the breastbone. This pain links to the jaw, arm or throat.
• Along with the discomfort, the patient may experience feeling of nausea or feeling of fullness (almost chocking) or heartburn.
• Profuse sweating.
• Along with all of the above, the patient may be feeling weakness, anxiety and shortness of breath.
• The heartbeat becomes either very fast or highly uneven.

What to do if you have a heart attack?

The first thing you must do is call up the ambulance. You would have about 1-2 hours for the treatment. The more you delay, the more are the risks to your survival. However, with the recent advancements in the field of medicine, heart attack can be treated completely with ease and effectiveness. So I think you won’t die a heart attack death if you just hurry up for the emergency procedures like CPR.

Some steps that you must follow to avoid ‘meet and greet’ with heart attack:

• Drink no more than one to two alcoholic drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women. Instead, drink plenty of water and fresh juice.
• Eat a diet that’s free of trans fats, low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and sugar, and high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, and dark chocolate.
• Exercise at moderate intensity. That means at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
• Limit stress. Try meditating, spending time with people you love, getting enough sleep, and seeking counselling if you need it.
• Quit smoking today. Yes, right now!
• Work with your doctor to manage your blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and weight.