A heart attack is a medical emergency that occurs when the heart muscle does not receive an adequate supply of blood. It can result from a blockage in the arteries that deliver blood to the heart. Common symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. Without prompt intervention, it can cause permanent damage to the heart as well as death.

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is a serious condition that occurs when the heart muscle cannot receive an adequate supply of blood through its arteries. This lack of blood flow is usually caused by a problem in the heart or a blockage in one of the arteries. If blood flow is not restored promptly, a heart attack can cause permanent damage. Therefore, reopening the arteries with timely and appropriate intervention is crucial to preventing loss of heart tissue.

Heart Attack Symptoms

A heart attack can have many symptoms, mild or severe. The primary symptom felt by a person having a heart attack is severe chest pain. It can be said that a weight collapses behind the rib cage, and there is a pressing pain. This type of pain does not decrease or increase with breathing or movement. The pain may also spread to the jaw, back, shoulder, arm, abdomen, or neck. In some cases, right arm numbness can even be a sign of a heart attack. In some cases, left hand and finger numbness can be associated with a heart attack.

It is also wondered about how long the symptoms of a heart attack last. In general, the pain of the attack does not go away without necessary intervention.

  • General symptoms: Nausea and vomiting, sudden cold sweats, dizziness, distressed general condition, fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart rhythm disorders.
  • Common misconception: Symptoms may not always present as severe and sudden chest pain.
  • Silent heart attack: Some individuals, particularly those with diabetes, may experience a heart attack without obvious symptoms.
  • Men’s symptoms: Back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, vomiting, and nausea are more frequently reported.
  • Women’s symptoms: Symptoms are more concentrated in the rib cage area. In men, pressure typically starts in the rib cage and radiates to the arm.

How Heart Attack Occurs?

The main reason underlying the heart attack is the clot formed due to the rupture of the plaques formed due to cholesterol accumulating on the vessel wall.  As a result of this situation, the blood supply of the heart muscle cannot be met due to occlusion of the arteries. Cardiac muscle cells begin to die, and the heart muscle loses its function in the occluded area. It means heart muscle cells are lost every second. Therefore, early intervention in a heart attack is vital.

Causes of Heart Attack

The most important point among the causes of heart attack is the accumulation of cholesterol plaques on the arterial wall (atherosclerosis). As a result, hardening of the vessel walls will occur, and the inner artery channel will be narrowed. If the narrowed vessels cannot provide enough blood flow to the body, enough oxygenated blood cannot reach the heart muscle. Other answers to the question about the "causes of a heart attack" include an unhealthy diet, excessive stress, genetic predisposition, or smoking as primary causes.

Many people have a buildup of fat or plaque in the coronary arteries that goes silently for years. While the factors added on top of each other cause the veins to become clogged over time, smoking, in particular, plays a role as an accelerating effect in this regard. The risk of heart attack is three times higher, regardless of smoking men and women.

Another cause of heart attack is the high rate of LDL, which is defined as bad cholesterol. To keep this type of cholesterol at a minimum, foods such as processed meat (salami, sausage), red meat, mussels, squid, fried foods, offal, cream, mayonnaise, full-fat products, and butter should be avoided.

Having diabetes can also increase the risk of a heart attack. Studies show that people with diabetes are more likely to have heart attacks. Diabetes destroys the flexibility of the vessel walls, increases the level of coagulation in the blood, and causes the cells on the inner surface of the vessels to be damaged more easily. In addition to these, when conditions such as lack of physical activity and unhealthy diet are added, the risk of heart attack arises.

Other causes of heart attack can be listed as follows:

What Should You Do in Case of a Heart Attack?

The question of what to do during a heart attack is an essential issue for many people, both for themselves and for their relatives.  Chest pain, which is the first and most vital sign of a heart attack, starts as pressure and burning and then spreads to the neck and arm. Cold sweating begins on the back and forehead. Sometimes, it can be seen as a heart attack accompanied by severe symptoms and sometimes as mild discomfort. In the meantime, the pain increases with movement and decreases with rest but does not go away completely. It can last over half an hour and may be accompanied by cold sweats and nausea. Therefore, mild or severe chest pain should always be considered.
At the time of a heart attack, we race against time. It is necessary to reach a health unit as soon as possible. A person who has a heart attack should never go to the hospital by themselves and should avoid doing activities that require more oxygen, such as climbing stairs. The first precautions you can take for yourself and those around you who have had a heart attack may be: 

  • The first thing to do when one of the heart attack symptoms starts is to call for professional help. So 112 should be called immediately.  
  • Call the ambulance and your relatives if you are alone and close to your phone. 
  • Loosen/open the collars of your clothes, such as ties or shirts. 
  • Since a heart attack requires first aid, seek help if you have an experienced person with you. If the person has not received first aid training, do not let them interfere with you and ask them to call the ambulance. No matter how close you are to the person having a heart attack, you should not intervene if you do not have first aid training. 
  • Open windows and doors to fill the environment with plenty of oxygen. 
  • If you have a heart attack while driving, pull over immediately and seek help.
 

Which medical department should be consulted when symptoms of a heart attack?

In the presence of heart attack symptoms, the Department of Cardiology or Cardiovascular Surgery should be consulted. However, in the case of a sudden and acute event, it is essential to seek immediate assistance from the nearest healthcare facility.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Heart Attack

Pain or pressure in the chest area, shortness of breath, fatigue, cold sweats, and palpitations may be early warning signs.

During a heart attack, women often experience back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and a sensation of tightness in the chest.

One month before a heart attack, symptoms may include fatigue, sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, chest pressure, unexplained anxiety, and digestive problems.

During a heart attack, it may present with intense pressure, tightness, or a burning sensation in the chest, accompanied by pain radiating to the arm, neck, or jaw.

A definitive diagnosis of a heart attack can only be made through medical evaluation. Self-diagnosis at home is not reliable, and if symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is essential.

There is a risk that some vessels may not receive stent after stent placement. As stated, if the stent is not received, if occlusion or narrowing of the vessel occurs again, the patient may experience a second heart attack. For this reason, the drugs given after the stent insertion should be used regularly, the recommendations of the specialist doctor should be followed, and the necessary checkups should not be skipped.

Burning and tightness in the chest, paleness, sweating, and shortness of breath are among the first signs of a heart attack. These symptoms can continue for hours if the heart vessel is entirely occluded; it is not very likely that the pain will go away without the necessary intervention. If the boat is not entirely blocked, if the vessel is narrowing, it manifests as severe chest pain for 10-15 minutes. Those who wonder how long a heart attack will last should follow these symptoms and take the necessary measures correctly and quickly from the moment the symptoms are seen.