What is heart attack?

A heart attack is an event that occurs when part of the heart muscle does not get enough blood and oxygen. This part of the heart starts to die.

A heart attack doesn't have to be deadly. Quick treatment can restore blood flow to the heart and save your life.

Your doctor might call a heart attack a myocardial infarction, or MI. Your doctor might also use the term acute coronary syndrome for your heart attack.

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
• Sweating.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly or in one or both shoulders or arms.
• Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
• A fast or irregular heartbeat.

For men and women, the most common symptom is chest pain or pressure. But women are somewhat more likely than men to have other symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness, nausea, and back or jaw pain.

And people have other ways to describe the pain from a heart attack. It may feel like discomfort, pressure, squeezing, or heaviness in the chest. It may also feel like weight, tightness, or a dull ache. The exact location of the pain is often difficult to point out. The pain may spread down the left shoulder and arm and to other areas.

A doctor will take your history, do a physical exam, and check your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. You will have tests that can help diagnose a heart attack. The tests include the following:

• Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG). This test measures the electrical signals of the heart. It helps show whether you are having a heart attack.
• Troponin test. This is a blood test that looks for a rise in cardiac proteins. The heart releases these proteins when it is damaged.
• Imaging tests. These tests provide images that show how well the heart is working and how well blood is flowing to the heart muscle. Examples include a CT angiogram, an echocardiogram, and an MRI.
• Coronary angiogram. This test can check blood flow in the coronary arteries.

Treatment may start right away if you call 911 when you think you're having a heart attack. You may be told to chew aspirin while you wait for the ambulance. This can help prevent blood clots from getting bigger.

Ambulance and emergency room

Treatment begins in the ambulance and emergency room with aspirin and other medicines. You may get oxygen if you need it. You may get morphine if you need pain relief.

The goal of your health care team will be to prevent lasting heart muscle damage by restoring blood flow to your heart as quickly as possible.

You may receive medicines to stop blood clots. They are given to prevent blood clots from getting bigger so blood can flow to the heart. Some medicines will break up blood clots to increase blood flow. You might be given other medicines as well.

Other treatment includes:

• Nitroglycerin. It opens up the arteries of the heart to help blood flow back to the heart.
• Beta-blockers. These drugs lower the heart rate, the blood pressure, and the workload of the heart.

Your test results will help your doctor decide about more treatment. You might have angioplasty or bypass surgery to improve blood flow to your heart.

Other treatment in the hospital

Your doctors and nurses will watch you closely. They will check your heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, and medicines to make sure you don't have serious complications.

Your doctors will start you on medicines that lower your risk of having another heart attack. Or you may get medicines that lower your risk of having complications and that help you live longer. They include medicine to:

• Lower blood pressure.
• Lower cholesterol.
• Lower the heart's workload.
• Prevent blood clots from forming and causing a heart attack.

Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) might be started in the hospital or soon after you go home. It can help you have a heart-healthy lifestyle which can lead to a stronger heart and better health. Cardiac rehab can help you feel better and reduce your risk for future heart problems. If cardiac rehab has not already been offered to you, ask your doctor if it's right for you.

Lifestyle changes

Heart-healthy lifestyle changes are part of treatment for anyone who has had a heart attack. Even though you take medicine, lifestyle changes can also keep your heart and your body healthy.

A heart-healthy lifestyle includes:

• Not smoking.
• Eating heart-healthy foods.
• Being active.
• Staying at a healthy weight.
• Managing other health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure.