Possible Heart Attack Symptoms - Do not Ignore

A heart attack can be devastating, even fatal in the absence of immediate medical attention. Keeping your heart healthy is important if you are looking to enjoy a long and peaceful life. However, in order to maintain a healthy heart, you need to know some common triggers for your cardiac muscles.

A heart attack may be caused due to one of the following three reasons-

• Atherosclerosis - Atherosclerosis is the condition where the artery carrying blood to the heart is blocked due to cholesterol deposits on the arterial walls. This impedes normal blood flow and causes a lack of oxygen for the heart muscles, thus leading to a heart attack.

• Blood clots- Cholesterol plaques in the artery may rupture, spilling the contents into the bloodstream. This causes a blood clot, which can then obstruct the blood flow. Such a clot can cause a heart attack.

• Muscle spasms- Due to muscle spasms in the chest, the artery carrying blood to the heart may become constricted. This minimizes blood flow and causes a heart attack.

Chances of heart attacks increase with certain factors, such as the following-

• Age- Age is an important factor when it comes to calculating the chances of suffering from heart attacks. For instance, men above 45 years of age and women above 55 years are more likely to suffer from a heart attack than younger people do.

• Tobacco- If you smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, you face a much greater risk of heart attacks.

• High blood cholesterol- Low-density cholesterol or LDL is known as bad cholesterol. LDL narrows the arteries and limits the flow of blood, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and other cardiac diseases.

• Obesity- Obesity is associated with high cholesterol and/or high triglycerides. People with lower body weight are more likely to enjoy a healthier heart.

• Family history- Even though heart attacks can be prevented by leading a healthy life, some people are more likely to suffer from a heart attack due to genetic predisposition to the same.

Consult your physician if you are worried about cardiac health. He/she will help you understand what you can do to improve your heart’s condition.