TNAU Agritech Portal :: Sustainable Agriculture

Diseases :: Common Diseases :: Cardiovascular Disease

HEART ATTACK

Heart attack is a sudden block usually due to a blood clot that affects the normal blood flow to the heart is the usual cause of a heart attack. In some cases, the first sign of CHD is a heart attack. This occurs when atherosclerotic plaque or a blood clot blocks the blood flow of the coronary artery to the heart.

Symptoms of Heart Attack

1. Prolonged chest discomfort, lasting more than a few minutes, usually behind the breastbone
2. Difficulty in breathing
3. Sweating
4. Weakness and Palpitation

Risk Factors for Heart Attack

Diabetes mellitus
High cholesterol levels in the blood
High blood pressure
Obesity
Stress
Smoking
Positive family history of heart attacks
Low levels of HDL
Sedentary life style / Lack of exercise

Prevention of heart attacks

Lower the fat intake and increase the fibre intake in the diet.
Regular exercise for at least 30-45 mins at least 5 times/week.
Maintaining ideal body weight.
Control of blood pressure.
Check the cholesterol once in six months and keep LDL (bad) cholesterol within the normal limits if necessary with drugs like Statins.
Increase HDL (good cholesterol) by exercise.
Control diabetes well.
Stop smoking.
Reduce stress.
Aspirin if recommended by your doctor.

Diagnosis
There are many tests that may help to diagnose CHD. Some of the tests include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Exercise stress test
Echocardiogram
Nuclear scan
Coronary angiography
Electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) - the purpose of this test is to identify calcium within the plaque found in the arteries. The more calcium seen, the higher the likelihood for CHD.

Treatment

The treatment for CHD varies depending on the symptoms and how much the disease has progressed. General treatments include lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgery.