Heart attack. Symptoms in women, first aid, what to do, treatment

Many women face the risk of cardiovascular disease. Knowledge of heart attack symptoms begin, unique to women, to help protect yourself from complications.

Causes of heart attack

In medicine, a heart attack is the withering away of the heart muscle. This happens due to lack of blood that flows into it. The disease is called a heart attack or coronary thrombosis. In some cases, the blood does not flow due to vascular occlusion by a thrombus. It can happen spasm of the artery that feeds the heart muscle - the myocardium.

Risk factors

Heart attack (few symptoms in women differ from men's), often triggered by high cholesterol, blood pressure and obesity.

This traditional factors that adversely affect the heart:

• Obesity. Elevated levels of triglycerides in the blood increases the weight. Suffice it to lose 10% of excess weight and the risk of heart attack decreases.
• Cholesterol. Elevated levels of low density lipoproteins leads to narrowing of the arteries. Good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein), on the contrary, reduce the risk of developing the disease.
• High AD. Elevated blood levels narrows the arteries and creates pressure, causing its blockade provokes a heart attack.

There may be other reasons for the development of the disease:

• Diabetes. Progression of the disease usually leads to attack in women than men.
• Stress, depression. The female body is more susceptible to abrupt change of emotional state. Long-term depression undermines the body violates normalnyyobraz life.
• Smoking. As well as in men, smoking is a serious factor in the development of seizures.
• Passive lifestyle. Heart and vascular diseases develop in people who move a little, do not go in for sports, physical activity, which is not sufficient.
• Menopause. At a certain age in women decreases levels of estrogen, which affects the health. Appear threat of small blood vessel diseases (coronary heart disease).
• broken heart syndrome. Feelings associated with personal life, stress at work causes heart failure. Takotsubo condition called cardiomyopathy, or stress cardiomyopathy, at which the coronary artery spasm. State more often temporary, it occurs in women after menopause.
• The effect of chemotherapeutic agents, radiation therapy. Often, medications used in the treatment of cancers, increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders.
• Complications during pregnancy. Such disease in women, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, have a negative effect on blood vessels. Doctors had observed that expectant mothers who have had heart disease in the period of gestation of the child, transfer these risks to children.
• Heredity. If you were sick in the family suffered heart attacks relatives, they can pass on the disease.
• Drug use. Stimulant drugs, cocaine, amphetamine, often lead to coronary artery spasm.

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, are also risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

trigger factors

Common causes of heart attacks are known to many. But there are underlying causes that create a risk for the heart.

• Asthma. A severe form of asthma, in which the daily intake of medication control is required, can trigger a heart attack, stroke. Because tightness in the chest is a symptom of asthma, the asthma may miss the start of heart attack, delaying treatment.
• Admission medication for heartburn. Some proton pump inhibitors pose an increased risk for heart attack, causing aging of blood vessel cells. Substances contained in these formulations, reduce the production of nitric oxide. This molecule helps maintain the internal mucosa of the blood vessels in a healthy condition.
• The presence of migraine with aura. The women of middle and old age, suffering from a form of migraine headache when accompanied by flashing lights or blinding spots before the eyes, have an increased risk of heart attack.
• The strength of the hand grip. The researchers found that the force that is applied when a person with a handshake, a risk factor for heart attack, almost the same as the high blood pressure. The weaker the grip, the higher the risk of developing the disease.
• time translation in the spring, has a great influence on the heart. Scientists cardiologists note that there is 25% increase in heart attacks after moving clock hands forward an hour. Translation of the clock hands in the autumn, when the time is added, reduces the risk of heart attacks. For the most part this is due to the disturbed sleep mode.
• Admission analgesics. Taking drugs, many do not read the annotation to drugs. Although in many cases, the instructions warn that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause increased risk of heart attacks. Especially it should pay the people most at risk of heart attack.
• Late meal. It is believed that the food releases stress hormones, resulting in the body is in a constant state of high alert, at a time when it needs to get ready for bed. To avoid high blood pressure at night, doctors suggest to follow healthy eating patterns and properly distribute the meal reception.

Symptoms of heart attack in women

Heart attack (symptoms in women are often atypical) can pass with sharp pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, vomiting, tension in the gut.

Symptoms of heart pain radiating to the left arm

There are many reasons for developing pain in his left hand. This may be a simple muscle strain, arthritis, chronic diseases. But more often it happens when an impending heart attack or angina.

Many symptoms appear within a few hours before the attack, and they appear suddenly in some people. The earliest warning may be recurrent chest pain on the left side.

Typical symptoms:

• chest pain (pricking, squeezing pain in the center of the sternum and the left-hand side);
• discomfort and pain in the arms, especially the left side;
• partial pain in the neck, jaw on the left side;
• nausea, vomiting;
• shortness of breath and fatigue.

Angina pectoris, when the muscles are not getting enough of the blood enriched with oxygen, develops pain in her left breast and she has all the other heart attack symptoms. But the attack lasts only a few minutes. It usually starts at the moment of physical activity and better with rest.

Symptoms of heart pain in women with breathing

Not all heart attacks are the same. Women are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, which may occur at rest or lying down. It can disturb the night, causing a sudden wake up, to catch his breath. Also, heart failure may indicate wheezing. Shortness of breath can not be ignored, gradually increases after exercise.

Pain in the left shoulder blade

Pain under the shoulder blade, extending to the heart - this is one of the signs of an impending heart attack or incident. In addition to it there is an increase in pressure. Jaw pain, panic, increased sweating. All these features combine to indicate the presence of myocardial infarction.

Pain in the heart and with a strong dry cough

Cough associated with heart disease, there is a constant and dry. A woman with this disease may cough up phlegm with frothy blood or secretions.

The symptoms that are atypical

Atypical symptoms characteristic for women over 50:

• stomach ache;
• heavy sweating;
• dizziness;
• toothache;
• irregular heartbeat;
• a heightened sense of anxiety and stress;
• stomach upset.
• nausea (blood flow as a result of blocking fat deposits in the arteries).

There are factors that increase the risk of heart attack in women aged 40 to 50 years. One of these is known as SDKA (spontaneous coronary artery dissection). This happens when the three layers of the arteries rupture spontaneously. This forms a clot narrows blood flow or its complete blockage occurs.

The reasons for that increase the risk of developing SDKA:

• hormonal changes, age or occurring during pregnancy;
• connective tissue disorders (non-coronary fibromyshechnaya dysplasia).

Symptoms in this case are very similar to a heart attack. Women who experience early menopause, aged 40-45 years, are at high risk of heart attack. On the development of a heart attack affects and smoking, especially in women with early menopause.

Research doctors found a link between a diet containing high amounts of protein and the development of a heart attack. Animal protein increases the risk of heart failure, while the plant is a protective function for the body and the heart, as well.

A heart attack in women aged 60 to 79 years are more frequent. After 80 years, the probability of doubles. Symptoms of the risk of death increases significantly every decade, and especially increased after menopause.

How should I act during a heart attack?

Step by step recommendations in the sudden attack:

• Give the patient a special pose: put so that the upper part of the body was above the bottom, legs raised and bent at the knees, can be left in a semi-sitting, but a comfortable position.
• The coating is placed on the person with an attack, it should be hard, it will reduce the burden on the heart muscle.
• It should reassure the person or give sedatives valokardin, valerian.
• For the access of oxygen to the lungs, open the window or turn on air conditioning, unbutton tight clothing, especially around the neck.
• Put nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, keeping the patient jaw.
• After 15 minutes, put one more tablet.
• To relieve pain given aspirin one tablet, it dilutes the blood and prevents thrombosis.
• Before the arrival of medical team should monitor pulse, respiration, check AD.
• With loss of consciousness should be made sharp and strong blow to the sternum, in the heart area.
• If the previous procedure does not give a positive success, the next step is indirect heart massage, alternating it with artificial respiration.
• The massage is performed by two clasped hands. Hands should be fast, frequent rhythm, about 2 times per second, to press into the area between the sternum, breasts.
• Massage alternates artificial respiration on a "mouth to mouth".
• After 30-35 taps on the chest is 2-3 breaths.
• If the pulse is still absent, the procedure carried out before the arrival of doctors.
• The first positive signs: the appearance of a pulse, those pink, pupil reaction to light.

First aid for heart attack: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CPR is a combination of methods, including chest compressions intended to cause the heart to work, to ensure the circulation of blood to the brain and deliver oxygen.

A heart attack occurs when the heart of the lack of oxygen. The attack can "stun" the heart, disrupt his rhythm. When the blood stops circulating, the brain lacks oxygen, a person quickly loses consciousness and stops breathing Without emergency measures and proper treatment of people die.

Recommendations for human salvation in this situation:

1. Check the airway. Putting a man on his back, his mouth open and see if there was any accumulated liquid. If present, to turn the victim's side. If you have dentures, remove. Check signs of breathing. If it is not urgently do chest compressions and rescue breathing.
2. If a person utters sounds, grunts, snores, you should also do cardiac massage.
3. Turn the person on his back, put the wrist in the middle of the sternum and the other put his hand on top of the first, and make strong pressure. compression force must reach a depth of one third of the sternum. Sometimes the massage may be rib fractures. of pressing speed of 100 times per minute. Massage alternates artificial respiration.
4. Events held prior to arrival resuscitation team.

Therapy with myocardial lung edema is urgent event in which emergency treatment and combined use of drugs that improve the respiratory and cardiac system.

The patient in this case can not be installed, it must be in a semi-sitting position.

The necessary preparations that should be given to:

• For vasodilatation sublingual nitroglycerin put 1 -2 tablets.
• Make sure that they are chewed and swallowed.
• Tablets given every 10-15 minutes.
• And also should be given aspirin, not less than 160 mg.

It is urgent to call the resuscitation team of doctors who provide treatment on arrival:

• Intravenous infusion of nitroglycerin (1% solution, 20 g per minute).
• Intravenous adrenolytic agents, antiarrhythmic and antipsychotic.

In the presence of myocardial infarction, the treatment of lung (after taking nitroglycerin and pain medications) is performed using a mask, or nasal intubation cannula. This is done in order to fill the lungs with oxygen.

If you suspect a cardiogenic shock, emergency aid is the introduction dolamina injection metoprolol and other medications to support heart rate.

How to remove a heart attack at home

In the event of a heart attack at home, you should, first of all, calm down. Then, call an ambulance, open the windows for air. Open doors for free entry of the medical team. Thereafter, should lie on the solid coating by placing in a high headboard cushion. In no case do not carry out any action.

First aid kit should be in an accessible place.

It is desirable that there were drugs:

• heart;
• analgesics;
• sedative drugs.

Drug therapy in the hospital

Heart attack (symptoms in women are usually less expressive), treated in a hospital under the supervision of specialists.

The drugs are used as an emergency:

drug Name	Act
Nitroglycerine	Intravenously and orally
Alteplase, streptokinase	thrombolytic
Aspirin, Heparin	Reduce blood clotting
Promedolum, Morphine	Lowering the pain threshold
Atenopol, metoprolol	Beta-blockers
lidocaine	Reducing heart rate
Captopril, ramipril, lisinopril	ACE inhibitors
Verapamil (less)	calcium antagonists
Medicaments containing magnesium (less)	Of necessity

Surgical intervention

In severe cases, when the blood vessels can not be extended by using drugs is not restored normal blood flow, surgery is performed.

For this resort to the angioplasty procedure. During percutaneous coronary surgery open the affected artery and the stent is introduced into it (frame) from the drug coating. It creates the necessary clearance in the vessel, which will take place through the bloodstream.

In the event of a massive heart attack operations are carried out:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting. During heart surgery restored arterial blood flow through the graft (graft). Shunt is a portion of the artery or vein which is taken from the patients themselves. Most often it is thoracic artery, mammariya. They are inserted, bypassing the blocked artery and thus, the blood begins to function normally.
• Transluminal balloon angioplasty. This technique, in which the artery stenosis is removed by percutaneous insertion of a catheter into the blocked artery. At the end of the catheter has a small balloon that is inflated with saline solution when it reaches the constriction. At the same time it expands the artery, allowing the blood to move freely. Often, together with the balloon stent is introduced, to prevent re-narrowing.

All of the above methods save lives and prevent deaths by 80%. But all subsequent years, a person must take drugs that will support the work of the heart.

complications

Heart attack symptoms in women are particularly if hidden, It may cause malfunction of the heart, lead to complications:

• Arrhythmia. Perhaps the development of "short-circuit electrical heart", leading to the failure of the heart rate. Such failures often result in death.
• Heart failure. Extensive damage to the heart causes temporary or chronic heart failure. During the attack a large number of damaged heart tissue, and the rest can not fully pass blood from the heart.
• Sudden cardiac arrest. Arrhythmia is able to temporarily stop the operation of the heart muscle. The attack exacerbates this factor, and sudden cardiac arrest can lead to death.
• Ventricular fibrillation. Dangerous for the life of cardiac arrhythmia with rapid beating of the lower chambers of the heart.
• Fear of sex.

Forecast

In patients with unstable angina, 30% more likely to occur myocardial infarction within 3 to 4 months. most patients die during the development of cardiogenic shock. Mortality increased among women with diabetes.

The best prognosis for people who hospitalization was conducted in a timely manner. In this case the mortality rate is 10%. In the process of rehabilitation of the state of cardiac function it depends on how you survived myocardium after suffering an attack.

Usually the scars received in myocardial, attached to a new hearth. In such cases, if damaged more than 50% of the mass of the left ventricle of the heart, the life expectancy is expected to be small.

Although chest pain is a common symptom in women with a higher risk of heart attack will occur without pain. Inability to recognize the disease can lead to heart damage or death. The slightest pain should be a reason to visit the doctor.

Author: Anna Belyaeva

Registration of the article: Vladimir the Great

Video of a heart attack

How to recognize a heart attack: