A heart attack can claim a life in a few seconds, but this is not always the case. Fatality depends on its severity which could be mild or strong. This article focuses on what a mild heart attack is.
A heart attack, also medically referred to as myocardial infarction, is the condition in which the blood supply to the heart is interrupted. This causes some of the heart cells to die, and thus leads to a sudden stop in the heartbeat (cardiac arrest). These attacks can be caused due to blockage of the coronary artery, because of either a rupture of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque or collection of the lipids and white blood cells in the wall of the artery. This further leads to restricted supply of oxygen and blood to the heart, reducing its pace in a sudden manner.
An attack can either be very strong, in which the victim dies within seconds of experiencing an arrest, or mild, which can be treated instantly. A mild heart attack is divided into two categories, viz, angina pectoris, which is the early stage of the attack, and unstable angina, which is the later stage. The former can be controlled and is not at all harmful, but the latter stage could be complicated if not treated.
Symptoms
- Pain over the left or central part of the chest
- Sudden tightness in the chest
- Pain that radiates to the neck, upper back, or jaw
- Discomfort in the left hand
- Breathing difficulty
- Burning sensation in the middle chest area
- Sweating
- Chocking in the throat
- Heaviness in the abdomen
- Fatigue and weakness
Causes
Mild attacks can be caused primarily by atherosclerosis, which is a gradual condition of collection and deposition of cholesterol on the walls of the arteries. This is the most common reason which can not only cause a mild attack but a severe one too. The major factors that can cause atherosclerosis are
- Diabetes
- Smoking and tobacco
- High blood pressure
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Obesity
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Age factor
- Other coronary heart diseases
Recovery
When a person has a mild attack, the first thing he should do is to get admitted to a hospital as soon as possible and get all the necessary tests done. These are important to know whether that person has any major heart problems, and if so, they can be minimized through medication. Most people are discharged within 5 days, but sometimes, the doctors can keep them admitted for observation.
If a person has already been diagnosed with heart problems and then suffers an attack, the doctor might consider a change in medication or treatment options. With this medication and necessary care, one could prevent another attack, provided all the advised measures are taken care of.