A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked.
The blockage is usually due to a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances in the heart (coronary) arteries. The fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits are called plaques. Sometimes, a plaque can rupture and form a clot that blocks blood flow. A lack of blood flow can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle. A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction and prompt treatment is needed for a heart attack to prevent death.
Call emergency medical help if you think you might be having a heart attack.
Symptoms of a heart attack vary. Some people have mild symptoms. Others have severe symptoms. Some people have no symptoms.
Common heart attack symptoms include:
* Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching
* Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly
* Cold sweat
* Fatigue
* Heartburn or indigestion
* Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
* Nausea
* Shortness of breath
* Brief or sharp pain felt in the neck, arm or back.
Some heart attacks strike suddenly. But many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. Chest pain or pressure that keeps happening and doesn’t go away with rest may be an early warning sign.
Heart failure is when the heart does not work as well as it should in pumping blood and oxygen around the body. Also known as congestive heart failure, this can damage the organs and cause extra fluid to build up in the body.
Heart failure usually develops slowly and gets progressively worse (chronic heart failure), although it can occur suddenly. It often develops after other conditions have weakened or damaged the heart, such as high blood pressure or heart attack. Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of heart failure. In this disease, atherosclerotic plaque builds up in the arteries, reducing blood supply to the heart. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath is a key symptom of heart failure.
A person suffering this symptom may:
* find physical activity difficult
* wake up in the night due to difficulty breathing
* find it uncomfortable to lie flat, as this can affect the ability to breathe normally.
Other signs and symptoms of heart failure can include:
* fatigue and weakness
* a rapid or irregular heartbeat
* swelling in the legs, ankles, feet or stomach bloating
* coughing or wheezing
* sudden weight gain due to fluid retention
* lack of appetite and nausea
* difficulty concentrating
* chest pain.
Heart failure signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they may come and go. As heart failure worsens over time, more or different signs or symptoms may present themselves.
