Heart attack i.e. ischaemic heart disease of the millennium, particularly with increasing stressful life of individuals which has a harmful bearing on our heart, we ought to know the commonly used terms associated with it.
Q. What is meant by Heart attack?
Q. What are the symptoms of heart attack?
Q. What do we mean by "Angina"?
Q. Who are more prone to get heart attack?
Q. Should one get check up and investigations even without any symptoms?
Q. Is ECG a sure test for diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease?
Q. What is TMT or Stress ECG test?
Q. What is echo- Cardiography?
Q. What is coronary angiography and is it a must to be done in all case of ischaemic heart disease?
Q. Tell us something about the preventive aspects of ischaemic heart disease?
Q. Is there any beneficial role of yoga/medication?
Q. What is meant by Heart attack?
When the blood supply to a portion of the heart muscle is disturbed or decreased, that portion of heart muscle becomes dead and results in symptoms of heart attack.
Q. What are the symptoms of heart attack?
There can be variety of presentations in these patients.
- Commonest is pain in the centre of chest, or left side of chest with or without radiation to left arm. A typical presentation of pain could be on the right side of chest, in upper abdomen, neck or lower jaw.
- There may be burning sensation or uneasiness in upper abdomen or dyspepsia (gas) sometimes.
- Suddenly experiencing breathing difficulty, choking sensation or suffocation.
- Sometimes associated cold sweating is there.
- Sometimes associated palpitation or irregularity in heartbeat is present.
- Sometimes the symptoms may not be acute but the patient experiences above symptoms only on exertion.
- Occasionally, the patient may not complain of any symptoms
but just collapses.
Q. What do we mean by "Angina"?
When a person get transient chest pain or discomfort on exercise and gets relieved by resting, it is known as 'effort angina'. This is due to a clogged blood vessel or spasm of blood vessel of heart.
Q. Who are more prone to get heart attack?
Anyone can get heart problem but presence of following factors can increase the incidence:-
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Diabetes mellitus
- High Blood Cholesterol level
- High Blood Pressure
- Positive family history.
Q. Should one get check up and investigations even without any symptoms?
After the age of 40 years, routinely, check up should be done once a year, particularly if any of the above risk factor is present. Investigations should be done if the physician advises.
Q. Is ECG a sure test for diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease?
No, ECG may be normal in about 50% of cases. Sometimes serial ECG's may be required .Sometimes, in high clinical suspicion, further investigations are needed.
Q. What is TMT or Stress ECG test?
In patients, where resting ECG is normal , TMT is done. Here, graded exercise is given to the patient and simultaneously ECG recording is done. The amount of exercise to be given and how long, has to be decided by the physician.
Q. What is echo- Cardiography?
It is also called Heart Scan by which the movements of the heart muscle and walls are assessed. The infracted or dead segment of the heart muscle is assessed by it.
Q. What is coronary angiography and is it a must to be done in all case of ischaemic heart disease?
Coronary angiography is an investigation where a dye is injected into the blood vessels of the heart to directly visualise them for any blockage. It should be done in cases of clinically high suspicion with normal investigation and recurrent unstable angina. It is 100% diagnostic.
Q. It is said that after age of 40, tablet Aspirin should be taken regularly to prevent heart attack. Comment?
Low dose of aspirin intake regularly after the age of 40 years is definitely useful, but not an absolute preventive measure. Aspirin is supposed to dilute the blood and decrease chances of blockage in arteries. Aspirin should be taken only with the advice of physician.
Q. Tell us something about the preventive aspects of ischaemic heart disease?
Most important is the life style modification:-
- Stop smoking.
- Control Your weight.
- Exercise regularly - walk 45 minutes per day.
- Control Diabetes, High blood pressure properly.
- Give up dried food, animal meat, egg yolk and milk cream.
- Decrease blood tensions.
- Control blood cholesterol.
- If your close relations have had heart attack, take precautions.
- Get the advice of a physician if need be.
Q. Is there any beneficial role of yoga/medication?
Yes, Yoga and meditation are useful tools in de-stressing yourself.
as we know that the heart attack is more common in and can be
precipitated by stress and tension, practicing yoga and medication
may prove beneficial.
In the end, I will suggest that if there is any suspicion appropriate
clinicians should be consulted.
