Heart attacks and there effects on life

Megan Dart

HLTH-1020-409-Su15
Angela Lancaster
July 17, 2015

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Heart attacks and there effects on life

From the time I was just a little girl, I knew that my grandpa had a very sick
heart. My grandma, dad, and uncles were always telling stories about when
grandpa had this heart attack or that heart attack or had to go in for certain
procedures for his heart. My grandpa was tall and skinny. He was a hardworking
man. He was always up and doing some project or out working. He generally ate
healthy and took care of his body. When my grandpa was in his late 40s he had a
massive heart attack and was told if he had another one it would kill him. My
grandpa retired after that and tried really hard to take care of himself. He stayed
active; his favorite thing to do was waterski. He did a lot of work around his house
and yard. When I was about 12 years old my grandpa had another heart attack. It
did not kill him, but it definitely slowed him down. He was always tired and didnt
feel well most of the time. I remember sitting down talking to my grandpa about his
heart and some of the procedures that he had to have done. I vowed right then that
I would do everything I could to take care of my heart and body and to learn
everything I could about heart disease. This paper has helped me learn a lot about
heart attacks; what is a heart attack and what causes it? Are there any treatments
or preventions? Can my diet and activity affect my chances of having a heart
attack?
What is a heart attack and what are some of the signs and symptoms of a
heart attack? A heart attack can be described in many different ways. According to
the Cleveland Clinic, A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is permanent
damage to the heart muscle. Myo" means muscle, "cardial" refers to the heart,
and "infarction" means death of tissue due to lack of blood supply. The Mayo
Clinic defines a heart attack as A blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle. The

American Heart Association says the most common signs and symptoms of a heart
attack are; Chest pain and discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body,
shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, light
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headedness, jaw pain, and back pain. The book Contemporary Nutrition-A
Functional Approach describes heart attack symptoms in the following way, A heart
attack can strike with the sudden force of a sledgehammer, with pain radiating up
the neck or down the arm. It can sneak up at night masquerading as indigestion,
with slight pain or pressure in the chest. Crushing chest pain is a more common
symptom in men. Many times, the symptoms are so subtle in woman, that death
occurs before she or the health care professional realizes that a heart attack is
taking place. (Wardlaw, Smith, Collene, 2014, pg# 189) The most common
symptom of a heart attack is chest pain/discomfort but a womans symptoms often
present themselves as back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, and nausea. When my
grandpa described how his heart attacks felt, he would tell us it felt like an elephant
was sitting on his chest.
What causes a heart attack? According to the Mayo Clinic, A heart attack
occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked, most often by a build-up of
fat, cholesterol and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed
the heart (coronary arteries). The interrupted blood flow can damage or destroy part
of the heart muscle. The Cleveland Clinic states, A heart attack occurs when a
coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked, stopping the flow of blood to the heart
muscle and damaging it. All or part of the heart muscle becomes cut off from its
oxygen supply. Left without oxygen, the heart muscle is injured. The book

Contemporary Nutrition-A Functional Approach describes the cause of a heart attack

as areas where plaques build up, blood clots are more likely to remain intact and
then lead to a blockage, cutting off or diminishing the supply of blood to the heart
(via the coronary arteries) or brain (via the coronary arteries). More than 95% of
heart attacks are caused by total blockage of the coronary arteries due to a blood
clot forming in an area of the artery already partially blocked by plaque. (Wardlaw,
Smith, Collene, 2014, pg# 190) If high cholesterol and plaque
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can cause heart attacks than I think we can also say that obesity can be a factor in
heart attacks. Many obese people have high cholesterol and eat very unhealthy,
both which can lead to a heart attack. In the book Invitation to The Life Span, it
says Heart disease and diabetes are becoming epidemic because overfed children
often grow up to become overweight adults. (Berger, 2014, pg #168)
What treatment is there for heart attacks? When my grandpa had his heart
attack when I was 12, he could feel it coming on from previous attacks. He started
to have chest pain and pressure so he went and lied down. My grandma
immediately gave him an Aspirin, put some oxygen on him, and called 911. Those
things helped save my grandpa life. My grandpa also had several heart surgeries, a
pacemaker put in, and stents placed during his life to help save his heart and give
him a little more time. Aspirin reduces blood clotting, which in return helps
maintain blood flow through a narrowed artery. If you call 911 on a person who is
experiencing heart attack symptoms the dispatcher will most likely ask if the person
has had an Aspirin. If they havent, the dispatcher will probably instruct you to give
them one. Another medication that is commonly used to treat heart attacks is

called Nitro or Nitroglycerin. Nitro helps improve blood flow to the heart by dilating
the blood vessels. The National Heart, Lung, and blood institute said, Early
treatment for a heart attack can prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle.
Acting fast, at the first symptoms of a heart attack, can save your life. Medical
personnel can begin diagnosis and certain treatments usually are started right away
if a heart attack is suspected, even before the diagnosis is confirmed. These
include: oxygen therapy, Aspirin to thin your blood and prevent further blood
clotting, Nitroglycerin to reduce your heart's workload and improve blood flow
through the coronary arteries, and treatment for chest pain. In some cases CPR
(Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) may be in necessary treatment to save someones
life if they are having or have had a heart attack. With the advancements of
medicine and technology, there are now several different
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surgeries and procedures that can be done to treat heart attacks. They include;
stent placement, angioplasty, heart bypass surgery, EECP, Ablation, Cardioversion,
Pacemakers, Valve disease treatment, Lead extraction, Implantable Cardioverter
Defibrillators (ICD), Left Ventricle Assistant Device (LVAD), and Heart transplant.
According to Web MD there are several types of medications you can take for heart
attack treatment, these medications include; ACE inhibitors, Angiotension 2
receptor blockers, antiarrhythmics, antiplatelet drugs, Aspirin therapy, beta blocker
therapy, calcium channel blocker drugs, clot buster drugs, Digoxin, Diuretics,
Nitrates, Warfarin and other blood thinners.
What measures can be taken to prevent a heart attack? I work in a family
practice doctors office where I see patients with many conditions. I have one

particular patient who goes into V-Fib (Ventricular fibrillation) pretty frequently.
While I was doing my research for this paper I asked this patient what he does to
prevent himself from going into V-fib. This patient told me that he has had several
procedures done to help prevent V-fib from happening. He said he has had coronary
bypass surgery, stent placement, and an ICD placed. He takes Coumadin and an
Aspirin every day. Since he is taking Coumadin he frequently comes to our office to
have his INR (international normalized ratio) checked. This test is often called a
PT/INR and is used to measure the amount of time it takes your blood to clot. This
patient says these things have helped a lot and he has less frequent hospital visits
because of the preventive measures he has taken. A persons lifestyle has a huge
impact on their heart. If they are eating junk, being lazy, smoking, etc. it is going to
hurt their heart and eventually lead to heart problems. In the Article titled The
Million Hearts initiative-preventing heart attacks and stroke, Dr. Thomas Frieden,
MD states, Patients reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke by taking Aspirin as
appropriate. Treating high blood pressure and high cholesterol substantially and
quickly reduces mortality among high-risk patients. Even brief smoking-cessation
advice from clinicians doubles the
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likelihood of a successful quit attempt, and the use of medications increases quit
rates further. Currently, less than half the people with ischemic heart disease take
daily Aspirin or another antiplatelet agent; less than half with hypertension have it
adequately controlled; only a third with hyperlipidemia have adequate treatment;
and less than a quarter of smokers who try to quit get counseling or medication. As
a results, more than one million people-half of American adults-smoke or have
uncontrolled high blood pressure of cholesterol; many have more than one of these

cardiovascular risk factors. Increasing utilization of these simple interventions can

save more than 100.000 lives a year. Measuring and monitoring can encourage
providers to improve preventative care. This just goes to show how important it
really is to take care of our bodies and watch what we put into it.

How can our diet affect heart attacks? If high cholesterol causes
plaque buildup and plaque buildup causes blockage in the arteries and
blockage to the heart causes a heart attack than I think it is safe to say that
our diets definitely affect our heart. People, whether or not they have heart
disease or not, should be eating less fatty foods and more fruits and
vegetables. Most fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber, vitamins,
and minerals and are low in fat and calories. According to the U.S. library of
medicine, A diet high in saturated and Trans fats causes cholesterol to build
up in your arteries (blood vessels). This puts you at risk for heart attack,
stroke, and other major health problems. Health Journalist Rebecca
Sheasby said about diet and our hearts, A poor diet full of high-fat, sugary and saltladen foods can contribute to weight gain, raise blood pressure, and increase cholesterol levels
all of which are risk factors for heart disease. (Sheasby, 2013) The less fats we eat in our
diet, the less plaque buildup we will have which will lead to healthier hearts
and a better life.
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How do activities and exercise affect heart attacks? The doctor that I
work for advises all of our patients to exercise or do some type of activity

that really gets their heart pumping for at LEAST 30 minutes every day. He
says that getting at least 30 minutes a day keeps your heart healthier.
Rebecca Sheasby, health journalist said, Exercise: lowers blood pressure,
reducing strain on the heart, increases good HDL cholesterol that transports fat
away from the arteries and back to the liver for processing may reduce levels of bad
LDL cholesterol that can form fatty deposits in the arteries and contribute to heart
disease. (Sheasby, 7/5/15) There was an article that I found in the New York Times
called Physical Activity. It states, Inactivity is one of the major risk factors for heart
disease. However, exercise helps improve heart health, and can even reverse some
heart disease risk factors. Like all muscles, the heart becomes stronger as a result
of exercise, so it can pump more blood through the body with every beat and
continue working at maximum level, if needed, with less strain. The resting heart
rate of those who exercise is also slower, because less effort is needed to pump
blood. A person who exercises often and vigorously has the lowest risk for heart
disease, but any amount of exercise is beneficial. (New York Times, 2013) If people
are lazy and sit around doing nothing all the time they are going to become obese
which will in turn lead to an unhealthy heart and probably cause a heart attack. It
does not take very much effort to stay active and you can start small and increase
your activity as your body gets more used to it. I have a neighbor who had a heart
attack a few years ago. Before his heart attack he would work and then go home
and watch TV. But since his heart attack, he now makes it a point to go walking
every night. He started by just walking around the block, he now walks around the
neighborhood for about an hour and he loves it. He also has improved his diet a lot
and says since he made these lifestyle changes he feels healthier, happier, and

more energetic. If people would care just a little bit more about their body they
could live a longer, healthier life.
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In doing the research and interviewing for this paper, I have learned a TON
about heart attacks. I hope that I can take some of the recommended advice for
preventing heart attacks and use it in my own life and the lives of my family. I hope
I can teach my kids how to eat healthy and teach them good lifestyle habits so they
dont have to worry so much about heart disease.

Works Cited

American Heart Associationhttp://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHea

rtAttack/Warning-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_002039_Article.jsp
Berger, Kathleen Stassen, Invitation to The Life Span, 2 nd edition, published

by: Worth Publishers, 2014

Cleveland Clinichttp://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/heart/disorders/coronary-artery-

disease/hic_Heart_Attack/cad_heartattack
Frieden, Thomas R MD, MPH, Donald M Berwick, MD, MPP, The Million

hearts initiative- preventing heart attacks and stroke, N Engl J Med

2011, September 13, 2011

Mayo clinic- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-

attack/basics/definition/con-20019520
National Heart, Lung, and blood institute-

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartattack/treatment
Sheasby, Rebecca, health journalist, Exercise, Heart disease, and high blood

pressure, 7/5/15
Sheasby, Rebecca, health journalist, Diet and Heart Health, 5/7/13
Simon, Harvey, MD, Editor in Chief, Physical Activity, New York Times, 6/17/13
U.S. Library of Medicine-

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002436.htm
Wardlaw, Gordon, Anne Smith, & Angela Collene, Contemporary Nutrition
Contemporary Nutrition, A functional Approach 4 th edition, Publisher:McgrawHill.

Web MD- http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-diseasetreatment-care