Heart Attack or Myocardial Infarction.
The Incredulous Heart.
The heart is a pump which pumps blood to every part of the body. It does so 24×7 for all the years that we live, at a normal rate of 72 beats per minute. Just imagine this, and it makes one wonder what a remarkable thing this is, that Providence has created. The heart contracts and relaxes without a moment’s rest for all those years of our life. Sometimes the blood supply to a part of the wall of the heart may be interrupted. This results in a heart attack, which in medical terms is called myocardial infarction.
What is a heart attack.
In absolute layman’s language, a heart attack is a “cry of the heart” asking for oxygen. This lack of oxygen supply through blood, to the muscle of the heart wall (myocardium), is caused by blockage of one of the coronary arteries (which supply blood to the wall of the heart).
It is classically characterized by pain in the chest. These coronary arteries run on the surface of the heart and are relatively narrow, thus being more prone to getting blocked easily and causing a heart attack. Most of the times, a heart attack presents with signs and symptoms, but sometimes, in spite of having a heart attack, the person may not experience any pain nor signs and symptoms.
Such a heart attack is called a silent heart attack. In a heart attack, the blood supply to the heart has to be restored within 30 to 40 minutes in order to keep the affected part of the heart muscle alive.
If blood supply is not restored within this time, then the heart muscle begins to die. Within 6 to8 hours, this process of heart muscle damage is complete and that portion of the affected heart muscle becomes completely dead.
This damage is irreversible and this dead part of the heart muscle ultimately turns into scar tissue. Being a scar tissue, it does not contract like the rest of the heart muscle and therefore the functioning of the heart gets affected. A heart attack may be a mild heart attack or a massive heart attack depending on the extent of heart wall that is affected.
The medical term for a heart attack is myocardial infarction. Myo(muscle) cardium (heart) is the muscle of the heart wall and infarction means death of the tissue. Picture showing how heart attack is caused.
Heart Attack Statistics.
Incidence of heart attack is very high and at present it is rated as the No 1 killer in the U.S. Present lifestyle of “ Hurry, Worry and Curry” seems to be taking its toll. 40 percent of people who suffer from Heart attack in the U.S. succumb to it. Women are less prone than men to suffer from a heart attack, but after menopause, their risk increases and equals that of men. 1.5 million cases of heart attack are reported every year in the U.S., of which more than half a million die. It could be worth your while if you read the following subsequent posts.:
- Causes of Heart Attack.
- Symptoms of Heart attack and Heart Attack Signs.
- Complications of Heart Attack.
- Treatment and Management of Heart Attack.
- Diet for Heart Attack.
- How to Prevent Heart Attack.
- Heart Attack Risk Factors.
- Life after a Heart Attack.
Your action step.
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