Understanding the causes of a Heart Attack

Hearing the words, "you have had a Heart Attack" will strike fear in the any normal human being. Understanding the causes of a Heart Attack may help you understand what has happened. Coronary artery disease or CAD is one of the most frequent causes. The plaque buildup over a period of time, decreases the amount of blood that can flow through the vessels of the heart. This deprives the heart of necessary oxygen filled blood and will damage the muscle. If this blockage is not treated promptly, portions of the heart will begin to die. CAD is the most common cause, but microscopic clots can also block the vessels and cause the same result. This particular cause is more frequent in women than in men. Spasm can also be one of the causes of a Heart Attack. The spasms occur due to several main causes but cannot always be labeled with a cause. The use of illicit drugs such as cocaine can cause a Heart Attack. Emotional stress, pain extreme cold and smoking are also causes of these spasms. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes mellitus all contribute to the acceleration of formation and complications and symptoms of a Heart Attack. This is especially true if there are family members with history of early disease. If there is a history of men under the age of 65 being diagnosed with CAD or an actual attack you may be at increased risk. On the other hand, if there is history of a woman under the age of 55 who has been diagnosed, the risk is also increased. With a Heart Attack being the number one killer of women and men, it is best to know and be able to recognize the symptoms. Almost ½ million people die of Heart Attacks each year in the US. Most of the fatal Heart Attacks are due to ventricular fibrillation. This is the process of the ventricles, lower chambers, of the heart beating at irregular and rapid rates. Blood flow ceases and if not immediately addressed, the person will die. If the Heart Attack is caused by an anomaly that allows the patient to reach the emergency room, modern medical techniques can generally save their life. Procedures such as angioplasty, stint placement or the administration of clot dissolving drugs can limit the degree of damage caused by the attack. Many of these Heart Attacks have a slow start. Symptoms such as jaw pain, headache, fullness in the chest, pain in the chest or squeezing sensation in the chest area are just a few. Some nausea and/or vomiting may occur, severe indigestion, back pain, feeling tired or in the case of patients with diabetes, no symptoms at all. This is called a silent Heart Attack. Symptoms may be mild and vague for a prolonged period. There are also times when the pain or shortness of breath becomes exquisite. Patients with no symptoms are not at any less risk than those that present with obvious symptoms. Symptoms may vary from man to woman and often "atypical angina" is used to describe the preceding time of the Heart Attack with the actual event. Heart Attack,Stress,Lower Blood Pressure