Myocardial infarction

Myocardium – is the heart muscle. The arteries, called coronary, comes to her blood. If any of these arteries clog up the blood clot – a blood clot, then part of the heart, which it feeds, is left without blood supply, which means without oxygen. “The starvation diet” of myocardial cells can live only 20-30 minutes. Then they die – this is a heart attack, the site necrosis in heart tissue. On the affected area remains a scar.

Recently, myocardial infarction, rapidly “growing younger”. Now is not uncommon when it affects people, barely stepped thirty threshold. It is true that in women younger than 50 years of heart – a great rarity. Prior to this turn of their vessels are protected from atherosclerosis, estrogen and other sex hormones. But with the onset of menopause women, conversely, become ill more often than men.

Why is a heart attack?

The main reason for heart attacks – atherosclerosis, which is almost every one of us. In addition, we call life circumstances (and depending on us, and not), at which the probability is highest sick:
- Male;
- For women at risk occurs after age 50 years;
- Heredity (CHD, heart attack, stroke, at least one of the immediate relatives: parents, grandparents. Especially if they have the disease began before age 55);
- High blood cholesterol (greater than 5 mmol / l or above 200 mg / dl);
- Smoking (one of the most significant risk factors “);
- Overweight and sedentary lifestyle;
- Increased blood pressure (over 140/90 mm Hg at any age);
- Diabetes.

The presence of at least one of these factors actually increases the risk of “acquaintance” with a myocardial infarction. Moreover, the accession of each new risk factor increases the likelihood of ill exponentially. They also say that male pattern baldness is a kind of harbinger of a heart attack as a factor in the appearance of baldness is an increased level of androgens, as in the case of hormonal fluctuations body reacts to changes in hormone levels rise in blood pressure and high cholesterol in the blood.

What happens?

Atherosclerosis – a process in which a wall of large arteries delayed some fats (cholesterol and other lipids), if they are found in abundance in the blood. Those places on the vascular wall, where lipid accumulation especially a lot, called atherosclerotic plaques.

Plaque – the most vulnerable place in the vascular wall. Especially if she is “young” and it has not yet managed to secede calcium. In the most unexpected moment wall plaques, and hence endarterium heart may burst, ruptured. For the body is an alarm. Crack it seeks to heal a blood clot. Therefore, the damaged area immediately begins to clot the blood. The formation of thrombus from the mountain like a rolling snowball. If it does not interfere, the clot is growing very rapidly until it closes the whole artery. Then the blood flow through it stops, starts cell death and is developing a myocardial infarction. The larger the artery, which closed the clot, the greater the myocardial cells die.

The integrity of the atherosclerotic plaque can break heart palpitations and high blood pressure. But the heart is extremely rare starts during intense physical or emotional stress. Often it develops for no apparent reason, as if from scratch. Possible – even during sleep. But the most “favorite” of his time – the early morning.

Depending on the size of infarcts is divided into macrofocal under which the necrosis extends to the entire thickness of cardiac muscle, and small focal. More dangerous macrofocal myocardial anterior wall infarction. When a heart attack back or side walls, especially the small focal (not full thickness), its consequences are not so traumatic. Scar on the heart muscle remains for life. Dissolve it can not, and history of myocardial heart remembers always.

Symptoms of heart attack

The first sign of allowing suspected heart attack, typically becomes severe chest pain that is in the middle of the chest. Normally at rest, crushes, burns, compresses may be given in the arm, shoulder, back, jaw and neck. Angina like pain occurs during exercise, and myocardial it stronger and more starts at rest and does not get taken by one another 3 tablets of nitroglycerin (1 tablet under the tongue every 5 minutes).
In the presence of these symptoms, call your an ambulance. The ability to endure in this case – a dangerous enemy.

Sometimes the disease is manifested by vomiting or abdominal discomfort, disruptions in the heart or shortness of breath, unconsciousness, or … nothing. Yes, it happens like this: a man suffered a heart attack, without even noticing. So-called painless form of myocardial infarction is more common in people with diabetes.

Changes occurring in myocardial clearly visible on elektrokardiograme. For the area and extent of damage can be assigned to ultrasound of the heart (echocardiography), which allows you to see structural changes. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a scintigraphy.

Treatment

In order not to risk the slightest suspicion of a heart attack doctors send people to hospital emergency rooms. And the sooner the better. Only in the first few hours, introducing special preparations can be dissolved “fresh” blood clot and restore blood flow in coronary artery disease. This is followed to prevent the formation of new clots. To do this, use drugs that slow blood clotting. One of the most reliable means – acetylsalicylic acid, it is an ordinary aspirin. It reduces the number of complications and prolongs the life of those who have suffered a heart attack.

Often used in the treatment of beta-blockers. These drugs reduce myocardial oxygen demand and, hence, saving heart muscle cells from destruction, reduce the size of necrosis. At the same time they make the heart more economical that myocardial very important.
In recent years, for the treatment of heart attacks used not only medicines. In particular, the so-called invasive methods include coronary balloon angioplasty. Angioplasty shows the ineffectiveness of drug therapy. In another case, a heart surgeon may suggest bypass surgery.

In the early days of strict bed rest is mandatory. At this time, the damaged heart can not withstand even minimal stress. Previously, people had a heart attack did not rise from the bed for several weeks. Today the term bed rest significantly reduced. Still, at least three days after a heart attack should be in bed under the supervision of doctors. Then allowed to sit after getting up, going … Begin recovery and adaptation to the new, “postinfarction ‘life.

Rehabilitation after heart attack

Is it possible after a heart attack back to the familiar life? Firmly say “yes” or “no” is difficult. Because it everyone has their own: one works as a loader and the other spends his days behind a desk. The first will be hard to do usual activities, and the second will be little that way. In addition, complications, and were themselves heart attacks are different. Recovering from a heart attack extends over several months. Because the disease is not joking, it requires to reconsider their way of life, something in him changed.

Rehabilitation begins in the hospital, where incidentally the passage of physiotherapy treatments are gradually built up the intensity of exercise. (Special note – the word “gradually”). In no case do not force events. Classes are physical therapy, walking on a flat surface first, then – on the stairs … By the way, stairway – a good test for readiness for an active life. If the patient can the average temperature rise on the fourth floor without feeling chest pain or shortness of breath, it means that the restoration is successful. For a more accurate assessment of the state is often used to test the dosage load. It is usually performed on a special bicycle – a bicycle ergometer or on a “treadmill.”

How long should you take medications? The answer here is one: all my life! Even if you feel fine. Precisely because it is beautiful, what ever taken drugs help the heart.

Can I be sexually active after a heart attack? Unashamedly ask this question your doctor. Everything will depend on how you carry physical activity (a sexual act – is the load, and considerable). But there are some common rules for all of which must be remembered that the sexual contact ended with pleasure and not a new heart attack. First, it must occur with the usual partner, and secondly, in familiar surroundings, and third, choosing the position for sexual intercourse, must choose such for which the load is minimal – for example, on one side.

Prevention of myocardial

Of some risk factors (sex and heredity) can not escape. But all the other quite amenable to our efforts!
- Maintain a normal blood pressure and make sure the weather – for example, for people with high blood pressure are dangerous heat and geomagnetic storms.
- Normalize blood sugar levels.
- Move more! It is not necessary to “run from a heart attack”, quite a walk in the fresh air for at least an hour a day.
- It is important to quit smoking – this is one of the most “aggressive” risk factors.
- Try to lose weight.

What should be a normal weight?

Let’s count: your weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. The resulting number is called the body mass index. We must strive to ensure that it did not exceed 26.

Nutrition should be a minimum content of animal fats and cholesterol. More vegetables and fruits. Instead of fatty pork – white meat of poultry, butter substitute sunflower, fat – fish. Such a diet can reduce not only cholesterol but also the costs.