A myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood flow to the heart is interrupted. Restricted or blocked blood flow causes the oxygen-deprived heart muscle to die. Since your heart helps your body supply oxygen-rich blood to all the systems in your body, damage to the muscle has devastating consequences. One in five heart attacks are silent, but most myocardial infarctions present symptoms. Getting patients to the hospital within an hour of symptom-onset increases the chance that they will survive. Recognizing the signs saves lives.
Chest pain alone isn’t usually enough to send people rushing to the hospital. A variety of conditions can cause similar discomfort, and if a person normally deals with chest pain, he or she may assume that this is normal. It’s up to the individual to notice if there’s anything unique about their pain. Usually, this symptom accompanies other symptoms that are red flags for heart attacks.Next
1. Chest Pain
About two-thirds of patients report experiencing chest pain when they are having a heart attack. Men are more likely to experience this sign than women.The pain may increase in intensity as the muscle dies, and it may disappear entirely after the muscle is completely dead. It’s critical to respond to this sign early so that doctors can save as much of the heart as possible. Although the pain originates from the center or left-hand side of the chest, it can be diffused throughout the entire chest and torso. Many patients describe feeling a tightness or squeezing in their chest.Chest pain alone isn’t usually enough to send people rushing to the hospital. A variety of conditions can cause similar discomfort, and if a person normally deals with chest pain, he or she may assume that this is normal. It’s up to the individual to notice if there’s anything unique about their pain. Usually, this symptom accompanies other symptoms that are red flags for heart attacks.Next