Symptoms of a Heart Attack Overview
A heart attack is a very serious condition, and people should be aware of the symptoms of a heart attack. These symptoms should not be confused with the signs of a stroke.
A heart Attack is a life threatening disease where there is an alteration in the normal function of your heart. There are several causes of a heart attack. One of which is an increased intake of cholesterol. When there is an increase in the cholesterol level in your blood, the coronary arteries of your heart may become blocked. This will cause disruption of the blood supply in one of the portions of this organ. Aside from that, myocardial damage is also another cause. In patients who suffer from heart attack, there is damage in the cell of the myocardium which alters the electrical activity of this vital organ.
Since heart attacks are a disease that will predispose you to some risks, you need to utilize some treatment modalities in order to restore your health. But before you undergo these treatments for heart attack, you need to identify the common symptoms of myocardial infarction.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack | Severe Chest Pain
There is a common symptom of myocardial infarction that is present in almost all of the patients suffering from this condition. This manifestation is severe chest pain. Severe chest pain is characterized as knifelike pain. This is usually short and stabbing. Other patients also identify severe chest pain as severe and excruciating.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack | Radiating Pain
Aside from severe chest pain, radiating pain is also one of the heart attack symptoms. Usually, the pain felt by patients suffering from myocardial infarction is radiating up to his neck, down to his back and also his arms. The direction of radiating pain is usually going to the left. This is due to the position of the heart in your body. This is also one of the determinant manifestations of heart attack.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack | Paralytic Stroke
Loss of sensation is also one of the symptoms of heart attack. Usually, a heart attack is characterized by paralytic stroke. This means that there is a compromised portion of your brain responsible in the control of your movements. Usually, myocardial infarction is caused by too much cholesterol in your body. When the heart pumps, this will deliver the plaque of cholesterol all throughout your system. When it lodges to your cranial vessels, paralytic stroke can happen.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack | Edema
Edema is also among the common manifestations of myocardial infarction. This is defined as the shifting of the fluids from the interstitial spaces of your cells to intracellular compartment. Because of the infarct present in the myocardium layer of the heart, this will reduce the capability of heart to pump the blood in your body. In return, the fluids that are supposed to be separated from the blood will remain in the bloodstream.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack | Hypertension
There is also alteration in the vital signs of person suffering from heart attack. Usually, there is an increase in the blood pressure because the heart compensates for the need to deliver the vital nutrients needed by your body. The blood pressure is high. There is hypertension present in patients with myocardial infarction. Blood pressure of patients suffering from heart attack reaches more that 220 mmHg systolic and 180 mmHg diastolic.
These are some of the common symptoms of a heart attack.