| Most people fear they are having a heart attack | | | | So a 20 year old woman who is otherwise well, and |
| when they experience chest pain. There's good news | | | | suddenly experiences chest pains after fighting with |
| and bad news. The good news is, not all chest pain | | | | her boyfriend is far less likely to be having a heart |
| comes from the heart. The causes can range from | | | | attack than a 60 year old male smoker who skipped |
| merely being inconvenient , like a muscle ache , to | | | | his last doctor's appointment for his diabetes review, |
| the more serious like heart burn, as the oesophagus ( | | | | and now experiences chest pain. |
| the "foodpipe") runs behind the heart. Some can | | | | So what can I do to prevent or lower my risk of |
| even be life-threatening, like a blood clot in the lungs. | | | | heart attacks ? Stop smoking. Maintain an ideal |
| The chest pain from the heart is called angina. It | | | | weight. Eat sensibly. Exercise regularly. Get screened |
| tends to be worse with exercise, and better with | | | | for any of the treatable medical conditions, especially |
| rest. It can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, | | | | if you have a strong family history of heart disease, |
| squeezing, fullness, or pain and can be mild or severe. | | | | are a smoker, already have one of the diseases, or |
| Heart attack pain can sometimes feel like indigestion | | | | are above 40 years old. |
| or heartburn. | | | | And if you have any of the medical conditions like |
| The bad news is, not all heart attacks begin with a | | | | high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, see |
| sudden, crushing pain that is often shown on TV or in | | | | your doctor regularly and get them under control. |
| the movies. Some can start slowly as mild pain or | | | | Are there any tests that a doctor can do to check if |
| discomfort. Some people don't have symptoms at all | | | | I am at risk for a heart attack ? There are a whole |
| (this is called a silent heart attack). It is not the same | | | | range of tests, including blood tests to check for the |
| for everyone. | | | | above risk factors, like your sugar levels and |
| So what is a heart attack ? A heart attack occurs | | | | cholesterol levels. |
| when blood flow to a part of the heart becomes | | | | The electrical activity of the heart can also be |
| blocked. If the flow of blood isn't restored quickly, | | | | measured by an ECG. The doctors can also stress |
| the section of the heart becomes damaged from | | | | the heart by making you run on the treadmill, called |
| lack of oxygen and begins to die. | | | | an exercise ECG. Think of the first test as checking |
| Coronary artery disease is when a fatty material | | | | the traffic flow on a major a highway on Sunday |
| called plaque (plak) builds up over many years on the | | | | morning, with 2 out of the 4 lanes blocked, and |
| inside walls of the coronary arteries (the arteries that | | | | revisiting the same highway the next day during peak |
| supply blood and oxygen to your heart). Eventually, | | | | rush hour, with the same 2 lanes blocked. |
| an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to | | | | If the doctors have a high suspicion, they may do an |
| form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot | | | | invasive test called a cardiac catheterisation, where a |
| becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely | | | | catheter is introduced into your blood vessel to |
| block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the part of | | | | check the extent of blockage. A stent can be put in |
| the heart muscle fed by the artery. | | | | at the same time, if necessary. There's also a |
| How do I know if I'm at risk of having a heart attack | | | | non-invasive method now using a CT scan, called a |
| ? Unfortunately, some things cannot be changed. | | | | CT coronary angiogram. |
| How old you are and your gender plays a part in | | | | Treatment of a heart attack is targeted at reducing |
| your risk for a heart attack. The older your are, the | | | | the chance of having another heart attack, and |
| higher the risk. And men are at higher risk of heart | | | | helping the damaged heart to function optimally. |
| attacks than women, till after menopause. Then the | | | | Treatment depends on how severe the symptoms |
| risks for women increase. | | | | are. There's a range of treatment available, from |
| Fortunately, there are some risk factors for heart | | | | medical treatment, to angioplasty with stenting, to |
| attacks which can be changed or controlled. These | | | | surgery. A combination can also be used. The doctor |
| include smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood | | | | will assess each patient and decide what the best |
| pressure, and diabetes. | | | | options are. |