What Triggers a Heart Attack?
The heart functions in much the same way that a pump does, but instead of depending upon gas for its operation, the heart depends upon a constant supply of blood, which is delivered via arteries located within the wall of the heart muscle. As long as the arteries remain open and able to supply the heart muscle with oxygenated, nutrient-enriched blood, the heart performs very efficiently. If, however, one of these arteries becomes blocked by a clot, the heart muscle downstream becomes deprived of life-sustaining blood and it may die within a matter of minutes. This is what is known as a heart attack.
In some cases, the body is able to form natural bypasses around the blockage so that the heart muscle continues to receive a supply of blood. In other cases, physicians are able to administer medications in the emergency room to dissolve the clot or they are able to open the obstructed vessel with a device known as a stent.
Sometimes heart attacks can be "silent" and the victim is not even aware of the incident. More commonly however, there are symptoms present that may include chest pain or heaviness (which may or may not radiate to the arm or jaw), nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and weakness. If you suspect that you or a loved one is having a heart attack, you should call 911 immediately.
What Are My Risk Factors for a Heart Attack?
While everyone is potentially at risk for having a heart attack, there are some groups which are more prone than others to fall victim. Individuals at higher risk for heart attack include males, the elderly, diabetics, smokers, individuals who are overweight or inactive and people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or a family history of heart disease. A family history of heart disease is defined as having a mother or sister with heart disease prior to the age of 65 or a father or brother with heart disease prior to the age of 55.
