Knowing how to react is a necessity in the event of a heart problem. Heart blockage occurs when a fat accumulation or cholesterol form a plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the coronary arteries. You can check your heart blockage at home by following these three signs.
Cardiac discomfort: The three mistakes not to make
Here is how you can do it at home. And what do in case you face any of these situations.
The signs to spot:
1. Brutal and unusual chest pain:
Unusual chest pain and sudden tiredness associated with difficulty in breathing or unexplained vomiting can be a sign of heart blockage. Maybe a heart attack. It is mainly due to the blockage of an artery that supplies blood to the heart. It typically manifests as pain in the middle of the chest, radiating to the left arm. But it can also just radiate into the jaw or tighten the wrists. In diabetics or women, symptoms are often atypical and more difficult to spot. Such as nausea, cold sweats, heaviness in the stomach, discomfort with sweating, even difficulty breathing accompanying with severe fatigue.
2. Mistakes not to commit:
Do not tell yourself that it will pass. In the infarction, the pain lasts for more than ten minutes and is continuous. Conversely, if it occurs only on exertion, whether it stops by pressing on it, at rest, or by stopping breathing, this leaves time to consult. It is probably of nervous or muscular origin.
3. The good reflex:
Call immediately for help. You must intervene within 90 minutes. The rescues have medications to relieve pain, a defibrillator to restart the heart if it stops. They can also perform thrombolysis (infusion of products to unclog the artery) if it is still possible. In the meantime, placing the patient in a half-sitting position is often the least uncomfortable.
4. The racing heart rate:
A disorder in the rhythm of your heart or having an extremely racing heart rate can be another sign of blockage. A sensation that your heart is beating really fast (tachycardia) and too strong, sometimes accompanied by discomfort, anxiety, shortness of breath, even a fall or a short loss of consciousness, can be a sign before -cursor of sudden death.
5. The mistake not to commit:
Don’t think that it will get better tomorrow, or the pain will become less intense after some time.
6. The good reflex:
If the palpitations do not stop, you must call the emergency and go to the hospital without any delay. It can be a vital emergency. Doctors will perform an electrocardiogram, which is a painless examination that records the electrical activity of the heart. They will calm the tachycardia with medication and will do examinations to see what is behind. They will do some blood tests, Holter recording, possibly an ultrasound. Even if the discomfort does not last, it is right to make an appointment without delay with your doctor.
7. An inanimate person without any reaction:
If a person does not react to anything and seems lifeless, it can be a cardiac arrest. The person falls unconscious, is very pale, and does not respond to any stimulation. She is no longer breathing, and the pulse is imperceptible.
8. The mistake not to make:
Do not waste any time. Every minute that passes will decrease the chance of survival by 10%.
9. Good reflexes:
If the patient breathes strangely or seems to no longer be breathing, do not hesitate to pinch him to check for the absence of reaction.
Things you can do during a heart blockage:
- Immediately inform the emergency.
- Lay the patient down on a hard surface and start a cardiac massage. Outstretch his arms, hands flat on his chest in the lower third of the sternum. Press the rib cage so that it sinks in approximately 5 cm about a hundred times per minute.
- Do not interrupt the massage before the emergency services arrive unless someone brings an external defibrillator (there are more and more in public places). The device explains aloud the procedure to follow and only trips if necessary. Its use is very simple, accessible to a child. Don’t be afraid to use it.
Main reasons for a heart attack:
A person experiences a heart attack when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked. The blockage may be due to cholesterol, an accumulation of fat, and other substances that form a plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the coronary arteries. The plaque eventually comes off and forms a clot.
The interrupted flow of blood can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle. It can be light or massive and lead to cardiac arrest. However, cardiac arrest can also be the result of physical or emotional shock, intense stress, electrocution, drowning or falling, or heart dysfunction that is revealed during exercise. It is the main reason for cardiac arrest in young athletes.
Seven warning symptoms of a heart attack:
50% of victims experience certain signs shortly before a heart attack. In this case, prevention can cure you but also save your life.
Not all heart attacks lead to cardiac arrest. However, an untreated heart attack can have fatal consequences in the short or medium term.
The most common warning signs of a heart attack:
Not everyone experiencing a heart attack has the same symptoms or the same severity of symptoms. Some people have mild pain, and others have more severe pain. Some seizures happen suddenly, but the majority of them start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Many victims, uncertain whether or not it is a heart attack, sometimes think they are suffering from heartburn or indigestion. Half of the victims do not feel any particular sign. Here are the most common warning signs of a heart attack.
1. Palpitations:
These are signs of excessive slowing or speeding up of the heart muscle. In general, after a transient cardiac pause, the following beat is stronger, and patients experience a “knock-in the chest” (they also say that their heart is “pounding”). But then again, only an EKG can confirm the diagnosis.
2. Swelling:
It usually occurs in the joints, including the legs, ankles, and feet.
3. Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing:
When the functions of the heart deteriorate, the lungs do not get the oxygen they need.
4. Dizziness:
If the work of your heart is compromised, blood circulation will reduce, resulting in the lack of oxygen in the blood, which causes dizziness.
5. Constant cough:
Having continuous cough, especially when the mucus is whitish or pinkish, it can mean a blood leak.
6. Recurrent fatigue:
When the arteries block, the heart begins to work harder. In this way, simple tasks can become extremely stressful and exhausting.
7. Pains in the chest:
Discomfort in the chest means pinching, pressing, or burning. It is the most common symptom and can occur during physical activity or at rest. It’s about the chest and not the heart, as well as the left arm, back, or jaw. It may or may not be accompanied by vomiting.
Therefore, it is crucial to becoming familiar with the symptoms of the heart attack, to be able to recognize them, and take them seriously.
If you have these warning signs:
- Stop whatever you are doing and rest.
- Sit or lay down immediately.
- In case you are consuming nitroglycerin, take your usual dose.
- If the operator of 911 advises and if you are not allergic to it, chew and then swallow one tablet of 325 mg, or two tablets of 81 mg, of acetylsalicylic acid or ASA like aspirin, if you experience chest pain.
- Rest while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.
By reacting quickly, you can save your life!
Risk factors:
Smoking, unbalanced diet, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and drugs use the most common risk factors of heart diseases. However, many future victims previously experience special symptoms.
Reduction in the number of heart attacks is possible:
An immediate reaction with a medical consultation could significantly reduce the number of cardiac arrests, between 45 and 50,000, which occur each year in France.
The chances of survival:
Early detection of symptoms is crucial for surviving a heart attack. Half of the heart attacks happen outside of a hospital, which is why you need to be able to recognize the symptoms. According to figures from the recent study on the heart attacks, 92% of patients experienced chest discomfort, but only 27% of them understood that it was of a heart attack symptom and called the ER.
Healthy living can prevent disease and heart attack:
1. Avoid tobacco:
Smoking is an important risk factor associated with heart attacks and strokes. It is never too late to quit smoking and reduce your risk.
2. Move as much as you can:
The heart is a muscle. And just like other muscles, the heart also needs regular exercise to stay healthy. Exercising will also help you maintain a healthy weight. Walk, run, and dance regularly
3. Eat healthily and avoid high-fat foods:
Eating a healthy, balanced diet helps maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol, and reduce your risk of developing an illness.
4. Strive to stay slim:
Obesity is a disease in itself. But it likewise increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack. It can also cause diabetes and certain cancers. The risk of being struck down by a heart attack is three times higher in obese women than in those of normal weight.
5. Check your blood pressure regularly:
You can prevent the walls of your arteries from deteriorating, and even slow them down by keeping your blood pressure at the desired level. A doctor or pharmacist can check your blood pressure. Or even you can do it by yourself at home.
6. Keep Cool:
Avoid stress and put things in perspective when faced with your problems. Take the time to live and rest. Stress is a factor that increases cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Stress can cause a heart attack or stroke.
If you exercise regularly, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for an EKG and a stress test once a year.