What is a heart attack?
The following are signs and symptoms of a heart attack in men and women: Chest pain or discomfort; Shortness of breath; Pain in the jaw, neck, back, arm, or shoulder; Feeling nauseous, light-headed, or unusually tired.View Larger
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, happens when a part of the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood.
The longer time passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the more damage is done to the heart muscle.
There are several causes of heart attacks, but coronary artery disease (CAD) accounts for the majority. There is a less common cause of heart failure: a severe spasm, or sudden contraction, of a coronary artery.
What are the symptoms of heart attack?
The major symptoms of a heart attack are
- Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
- Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.
- Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders.
- Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort, but shortness of breath also can happen before chest discomfort.
A heart attack can also cause unusual or unexplained fatigue and nausea or vomiting. These other symptoms are more common in women.
What are the risk factors for heart attack?
Heart disease and heart attacks can be caused by several health conditions, lifestyle choices, and family history. They are known as risk factors.
You cannot control some risk factors, such as your age and family history. However, you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors within your control.
Discover the risk factors for heart disease and heart attacks.
- Tobacco use.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol or triglycerides.
- Obesity.
- Diabetes.
- Metabolic syndrome.
- Family history of heart attacks.
- Age. Men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older are more likely to have a heart attack than are younger men and women.
What can I do to recover after a heart attack?
If you’ve had a heart attack, your heart may be damaged. This could affect your heart’s rhythm and its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. You may also be at risk for another heart attack or conditions such as stroke, kidney disorders, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
You can lower your chances of having future health problems following a heart attack with these steps:
- Physical activity—Talk with your health care team about the things you do each day in your life and work. Your doctor may want you to limit work, travel, or sexual activity for some time after a heart attack.
- Lifestyle changes—Eating a healthier diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and managing stress—in addition to taking prescribed medicines—can help improve your heart health and quality of life. Ask your health care team about attending a program called cardiac rehabilitation to help you make these lifestyle changes.
- Cardiac rehabilitation—Cardiac rehabilitation is an important program for anyone recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, or other heart problem that required surgery or medical care. Cardiac rehab is a supervised program that includes
- Physical activity
- Education about healthy living, including healthy eating, taking medicine as prescribed, and ways to help you quit smoking
Counseling to find ways to relieve stress and improve mental health
