The heart muscle is living and needs food and oxygen to survive. There are special blood vessels or coronary arteries which supply food and oxygen to the heart muscle. When one or more of these arteries in the heart get narrowed, or partially blocked, then the heart muscle does not get food and oxygen.
When blockage is sudden, it is called a heart attack.
If the blockage is partial and there is decreased flow of blood to the heart accompanied by chest pain the condition is called angina. It may not cause lasting damage to the heart muscle, but it is a warning sign that a person could develop a major heart attack. |
A blockage is usually caused by development of ‘plaques’ or inflamed tissues and fatty deposits on the inner surface of the artery. These plaques develop slowly over time and may cause restriction of blood flow leading to pain on exertion (angina) or it may lead to acute blockage. During a heart attack, a clot blocks the artery and prevents blood from reaching the heart muscle. As time passes without blood reaching the heart muscle, that part of the heart gets damaged.
If the damage is limited, the heart can recover but major damage can lead to death.
Timely action and treatment helps to dissolve the clot, open the artery and rejuvenate the muscle.
 Heart attacks usually occur when the body is under a great deal of physical exertion or emotional strain, but it can also occur when a person is at rest. A large number of heart attacks occur in the early hours of the morning, between 3-5 am when the body is at rest.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned below please seek medical help immediately.
- Pain or discomfort in
- Centre of the chest Feeling discomfort with pressure, pain and heaviness for more than 30 minutes is extremely suggestive of a heart attack. This may be very severe in case there is no response to sorbitrate. Much less common is upper abdominal pain, with feelings of fullness, acidity and indigestion. This does not respond to antacids and should not be ignored but checked up for a possible heart attack.
Other parts of the body where pain may be experienced are:
- Arms (left more than right)
- Left shoulder
- Elbows
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There may be no symptoms. The first warning sign may be the heart attack itself
 Aspirin helps to thin the blood and helps the blood pass through the blocked arteries. It is best to crush half a tablet of aspirin and put it under the tongue for fast absorption into the blood. Alternatively, half a tablet can be crushed and given with water, or if the aspirin is a water dissolvable preparation then it can be dissolved in half a glass of water and sipped. (Aspirin should be avoided in persons with a history of ulcer in the stomach and for persons allergic to aspirin).
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Where should you rush to?
Go straight to a hospital where you are certain that they are equipped with an ECG machine and can conduct the required blood tests. |
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