Every year, over one million Americans experience a heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Tragically, half of all AMI cases are fatal. In fact, the American Heart Association reported over 500,000 AMI fatalities in 2001. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women; The AHA estimates that one in five Americans die from heart attacks each year. With these statistics, it is clear that... Read more >
Women who experience a heart attack may feel some of the same symptoms as men, including chest pain and difficulty breathing. However, the range and severity of heart attack symptoms vary in women. During a mild heart attack, women may even be unaware that they are experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Unusual Heart Attack Symptoms in Women: Fatigue and Anxiety Heart attack symptoms in women are... Read more >
Sweating, difficulty breathing and chest pain persisting for longer than thirty minutes are possible signs of a heart attack. When these or other signs of a heart attack are present, a number of tests are available to confirm the diagnosis. The most commonly used diagnostic tools include EKG results, cardiac enzyme blood tests, and heart ultrasound.Cardiac Enzymes and Medical Diagnosis A heart attack causes... Read more >
Heart attacks most often affect the left ventricle, the pumping powerhouse of the heart. Damage to this chamber can significantly impair the heart's ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body, which may result in heart failure. Heart failure causes blood to back up into the lungs, where excess fluid causes further complications. As the lungs accumulate fluid, breathing becomes difficult. Heart failure... Read more >
Treatment for a heart attack should be administered as soon as possible. Damage to heart tissue can be minimized with prompt treatment, improving the chance of survival. Heart attack medications are designed to restore blood flow, lower blood pressure, and dissolve blood clots. Medications such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors reduce blood pressure, while aspirin and heparin thin the... Read more >
Heart disease, like so many other diseases, is known to run in families. A link between your genes and heart disease may predispose you to heart disease and also put you at a higher risk for heart attacks. A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when a blockage to the coronary artery interrupts the blood supply to the heart. A significant number of heart attacks are related to heart... Read more >
ResourcesAmerican College of Cardiology Foundation. (updated 2002). Cardiac arrhythmias. Retrieved January 26, 2004, fromwww.acc.org/media/patient/chd/cardiac_arrhythmias.htm#types.American Heart Association. (nd). Arrhythmias originating in the atria. Retrieved January 26, 2004, fromwww.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=10.American Heart Association. (nd). Arrhythmias originating in the ventricles... Read more >
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