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Heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when there is an interruption of regular flow of blood to the heart. The blockage, which leads to the interruption of blood flow, has to be long enough that part of heart muscle dies or becomes damaged. This blockage makes the regular and required oxygen supply in the heart. This lack of oxygen supply leads to the death of numerous cells and the chance of survivor after a heart attack is how soon an individual accesses the hospital.
What is exactly Heart Attack
The intrusion of oxygen supply to the heart makes the cells die making it stop functioning. Factors such as accumulation of lipids, cholesterol, calcium and inflammatory cells thicken the inside of the artery reducing the entry of oxygenated blood. The deposits can totally block the artery starving the heart of oxygen which results to the heart cells getting damaged or even death. That whole process of starvation of the heart cells till they die or get damaged is a heart attack.
Symptoms of Heart Attack
Heart attack onset can be detected as it occurs gradually over a span of some minutes. The common sign of a possible heart attack is chest pain, pain in the arm or the breastbone. Some people experience indigestion and a choking feeling like a heartburn. An individual may start Sweating, vomiting, and feeling dizzy as...
The low oxygen circulation weakens the body cells, and as a result, an individual becomes weak and tired. The left ventricle quivers rapidly because of the low oxygen supply making the heart beat increase.
Risk Factors
The occurrence of heart attack may be because of induced or the natural factors. Individuals smoking cigarettes expose themselves to the risk as smoke clogs in the coronary artery interfering with oxygen flow. Individuals whose families have a history of getting the attacks may at some point experience the attacks. People having diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure can get the heart attack as they weaken the heart. The chances of an older people getting a heart attack are high as the heart cells are weak or damaged increasing their chances of a heart attack.
Exposure to gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide for an extended period may trigger a heart attack as the oxygen required by the heart becomes limited. Obese people have too much fat in their body parts like the heart, and this reduces its work rate exposing them to a possible heart attack. Women using conceptive pills orally have a chance of getting a heart attack if they have diseases like diabetes or they indulge in smoking. Stressed people also have the chances of getting…
Work cited
Handler, Clive E, and Gerry Coghlan. Living with Coronary Disease. New York: Springer, 2007. Print.
Vlodaver, Zeev, Robert F. Wilson, and Daniel J. Garry. Coronary Heart Disease: Clinical, Pathological, Imaging, and Molecular Profiles. New York: Springer, 2012. Print
Coronary Artery Disease: An Incredibly Easy Miniguide. Springhouse, Pa: Springhouse Corporation, 2000. Print.
Heart Attack!: Shadows on the Eve of Tomorrow. Xlibris Corp, 2012. Print.
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