|
A Heart
Attack happens when something has blocked the flow of
blood into your heart, and a part of your heart has
died.
What to look for
a dull or heavy pain in
the centre of the chest
breathlessness,
dizziness, nausea, chills, sweating, weak pulse.
cold and clammy skin,
grey pallor, a severe appearance of illness.
fainting
Sometimes there are no
symptoms.
The heart relies on its own
blood supply to provide it with oxygen and nutrients so it can function
properly. If the supply of oxygen to a certain part of the heart is
interrupted, that area of the heart stops functioning. If an attack lasts
too long, the starved heart tissue dies. This event defines heart attack,
otherwise known as myocardial infarction.
If you think you are about to
have an attack never wait until it is over before seeking help. Most attacks
last for several hours. The signs of the heart attack may be no more than
breathlessness, faintness, or nausea; and in some cases there are no
symptoms. But most heart attacks produce some pain. The pain of a severe
attack has been likened to a giant fist enclosing and squeezing the heart.
If the attack is mild, it may be mistaken for heartburn.
The pain may be constant or intermittent.
Usually heart attack patients
have been suffering angina previous to the attack (the pain is very similar
and brought on by exertion or excitement and lasts only a few minutes and
the heart is not permanently damaged).
Sometimes there are no
warning signs.
There are possible
complications that can occur while in hospital with a heart attack -
stroke,
congestive heart failure, formation of blood clots in the legs or heart, and
aneurism
in a weakened heart chamber.
It will usually take around
three months to fully recover from a heart attack.
Causes
Most heart attacks are the
result of coronary heart disease, condition that clogs arteries with fatty
deposits. It may also be blood clots which form on top of the fatty deposits
which actually cause the heart attack.
Certain triggers will lead to
a heart attack in certain persons. The predominant ones are high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, and an inactive lifestyle.
Stress, exertion and excitement can act as triggers for an attack.
Men over the age of 50 with a
family history of heart disease are predisposed to heart attack.
Traditional Treatment
This condition must be
treated by traditional medicine. Alternative remedies are however helpful in
patient recovery and prevention.
Heart attack victims are
usually hospitalised in special coronary care units for at least 3 days.
Special drug therapy is used and the patient may have to be operated on.
The patient will be monitored
closely for a period of time and administered the appropriate medications
and drugs.
Gentle exercise is
recommended while patients are recovering, but nothing that requires too
much exertion.
Long-term recovery from heart
attack requires extreme adjustments: Habits such as smoking, heavy drinking,
and eating high-fat foods have to go.
As a preventive measure, most
heart attack survivors take a daily aspirin tablet to thin the blood. Other
drugs may also be prescribed, depending on the individual case.
Alternative Choices
Herbal Therapies -
Of the many herbs used to
treat chronic heart conditions,
hawthorn
(Crataegus laevigata) is perhaps most valuable as it
dilates coronary arteries and improves the function in
the heart. Hawthorn also is thought to speed recovery
from an attack. Of the many herbs used to treat chronic
heart conditions,
hawthorn
(Crataegus laevigata) is perhaps most valuable as it
dilates coronary arteries and improves the function in
the heart. Hawthorn also is thought to speed recovery
from an attack.
There are other herbs that
are used to treat heart conditions, such as raw
garlic,
lime flowers (linden) and
nettle.
For more information, see
high blood pressure,
Blood Clots,
and
Cholesterol Problems.
Bach Flower Remedies -
Try willow and holly
essences - 4 drops on the tongue, up to 4 times daily.
Try willow and holly essences - 4 drops on the
tongue, up to 4 times daily.
Lifestyle
Regular aerobic exercise
greatly enhances efforts to prevent or recover from heart attack. However
you must be extremely careful not to over exert yourself. Exercise under
supervision while in the recovery phase.
Reducing stress by training
the mind and body to relax may help prevent heart attack and can aid in
recovery.
Dietary Considerations
to reduce the possibility of
further heart attacks, it is advisable to eat a low fat diet with very
little salt, sugar, alcohol in order to reduce cholesterol, control blood
pressure, and weight. Eating
magnesium-rich foods such as
nuts, beans, bran, fish, and dark green vegetables may help prevent heart
attack.
Antioxidants supposedly help
with heart disease as well as supplements such as
B complex, C,
E,
chromium,
calcium,
potassium,
Evening Primrose Oil,
and garlic.
Personal Care
You can still be fairly
active - just be careful.
Do not take
birth-control pills if you have had a heart attack
Get a pet. Pet owners
recover more quickly from heart attacks
Prevention
When to seek further
professional advice
you or someone
you are with shows signs of a heart attack.
you suffer from angina
(chest pain) and begin to experience pain that is similar but does not
respond to medication; this may indicate that a heart attack is under
way.
your angina attacks
become more frequent and severe
you are taking aspirin
to prevent heart attack and your stool appears black and tarry.
|
