Frequently Asked Questions

Family history plays an important role in the causation of heart attacks. The risk of a heart attack in a person more than doubles if a first-degree relative (parents, siblings, or children) has had a heart attack in the past. While there are exceptions, heart attacks are generally seen in older adults. The typical age for a man to have a heart attack is 55 years and above and for a woman it is 65 years and above. When heart attacks are seen in men younger than 55 years and women younger than 65 years it is termed as Premature Heart Attack or Premature Coronary artery disease. In India, during the last two decades, more and more adults who are younger have been noted to have heart attacks. Studies have shown that between 15-22% of all heart attacks are seen in adults younger than 40 years of age.

Based on the variation in the ECG during a heart attack, doctors recognize two types of heart attacks. ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Non-ST-elevation Myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). STEMI and NSTEMI differ not only in the variation in the ECG but also in their severity. In general, STEMI is more likely to be immediately fatal or disabling than NSTEMI. Consequently, STEMI requires more urgent treatment than NSTEMI in most instances. However, this is just a thumb rule: Some NSTEMIs can be equally ominous and may require emergency treatment just like STEMI.

Of course not. Symptoms of heart attack can vary from case to case. The commonest symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. This is seen in about 70% of all heart attack patients. The remainder can present with breathlessness, arm or back pain, cold sweats, loss of consciousness, or palpitations. Some patients may have no symptoms at all and are said to have a Silent Heart attack. If you experience any of these symptoms, then immediately consult the Best Cardiologist in Bangalore.

Patients suspected to have a heart attack require to undergo ECG or electrocardiogram immediately. If the initial ECG is not diagnostic but the symptoms and signs are highly suggestive of a heart attack, repeating the ECG after 30-60 minutes and performing a blood test to detect high levels of cardiac enzymes such as Cardiac Troponins or CK-MB are additionally useful. Old heart attacks are often diagnosed based on ECG or Echocardiography.

A lot of people use these terms interchangeably. Heart attack refers to damage to the heart muscle. Stroke refers to paralysis of limbs or face or any other neurological function due to damage to the brain resulting from clotting or bleeding in the blood vessels of the brain. They are clinically different and the terms should ideally not be interchanged.

Heart attacks can occur at any time of the day. However, due to various neuro-hormonal variations associated with the circadian rhythm, some clustering of heart attacks is noted in the mornings between 6 am and 12 noon. Some physicians have noted more heart attacks in the wee hours, i.e., between 3 and 6 am.

First, seek help. Make any person in proximity aware of your situation. The most important step to ensure a safe outcome in a heart attack is to see that you reach a hospital with appropriate facilities as soon as possible. It is a good practice to be aware of the hospitals around you and the facilities they provide. When someone has chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of a heart attack, the immediate first aid should be to take 350 mg of the soluble form of Aspirin (common trade names Disprin or Aspisol in India). Ideally, the tablet should be chewed because the medicine is absorbed from the mucosal membrane of the oral cavity and starts to act immediately. If the patient cannot chew the tablet for some reason, the tablet can be dispersed in a small quantity of water and taken orally. If I see someone who is having a heart attack, what can I do to ensure he survives till help arrives? Call the nearest hospital with cardiac facilities as soon as you recognise that someone around you might be having an ongoing attack. Shift the person to a comfortable position and reassure them. If possible, give them an Aspirin tablet to chew. While waiting for help to arrive, monitor their breathing and pulse. If they lose consciousness, initiate Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Various risk factors increase the chances of a person having a heart attack. Smoking, High Blood pressure, Diabetes. physical inactivity, high cholesterol levels, obesity, and poor diet are important risk factors. These can be potentially controlled to reduce heart attack risk. Therefore, these are termed Modifiable Risk factors. Older age, male sex, family history, Post-menopausal state in women are factors that can increase heart attack risk but cannot be altered. These are called non-modifiable risk factors. South Asians appear to have a very high risk of having heart attacks at a younger age, compared to Caucasians and Asians such as Japanese.

A disciplined lifestyle would not only take care of the heart but also keep other diseases at bay. The key changes are Quit smoking Exercise regularly Maintain a healthy weight Control blood pressure and diabetes well Keep cholesterol levels in check Manage stress

As soon as a diagnosis of heart attack is made, blood-thinning medications (Aspirin, Clopidogrel are common ones) are administered. The definitive treatment is Coronary angiography followed by primary coronary angioplasty to restore blood flow in the coronary artery causing the attack. However, if for some reason, angioplasty cannot be performed, certain medicines (thrombolytic drugs, or clot busters) are administered in the form of injections. Primary Angioplasty is a more effective and safer form of treatment for a heart attack, but in some circumstances (e.g., remote areas) these drugs can be life-saving.