Have you ever wondered how healthy your heart is?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Take a two-minute heart health risk assessment to find out if your heart is at risk- before it becomes urgent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take the Quiz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n Massaging a leg cramp can help restore blood flow and get you back up and around. Treating a heart attack is all about restoring blood flow to the heart muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treating a heart attack can range from medication designed to break up blood clots, thin blood, widen the blood vessels, lower blood pressure and slow the heartbeat. Medications can include beta blockers, thrombolytics or fibrinolytics, nitroglycerin and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on the severity of the heart attack, minimally invasive techniques may be used to reopen a clogged artery. In these cases, a thin catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and threaded up to the site of the clogged artery. The procedure, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)<\/a>, allows the interventional cardiologist to directly address the blockage without major surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An interventional cardiologist can employ a number of methods to restore blood flow. A tiny balloon can be deployed to widen the artery. A stent or wire tubular mesh may be placed to help keep the artery open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some cases, open heart surgery is needed, such as coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The surgeon uses a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and creates a new blood vessel to the heart, bypassing the blocked or narrowed arteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women can have unique heart attack symptoms<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Heart attack symptoms<\/a> can start days or weeks ahead of the actual heart attack. These \u201cpre-heart-attack symptoms\u201d can appear days or weeks ahead of the actual heart attack. While there are common signs<\/a> regardless of gender, there may be some unique symptoms that tend to affect women more than men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Early signs and symptoms of a heart attack may occur in 50% of patients. Recognizing the beginning of a heart attack means treatment can begin before any damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone may show one or more of these common heart attack signs. When they start, they can be mild or come and go. Over time, the symptoms and pain become more intense. Stay alert and always pay attention to chest pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A mild heart attack can last a few minutes, with symptoms easing with rest. Severe heart attacks can go on for 20 minutes or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common cause of heart attacks is coronary artery disease<\/a>, which is typically caused by the buildup of cholesterol. In the right amount, cholesterol helps the body function. Too much of it, however, causes waxy plaque that can cling to the walls of your arteries. Narrower arteries limit the amount of blood that can reach your heart muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lowering the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol<\/a> in your blood helps prevent future plaque buildup, but won\u2019t remove existing plaque. Diagnostic tools used at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute allow cardiologists to see where arteries have narrowed and by how much. This test, known as a CT-FFR<\/a>, is noninvasive, using data collected from a CT scan to build a 3D image of your heart \u2014 revealing blockages that don\u2019t always show up on conventional tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heart attacks can happen without significant obstructions in your arteries. Some of these rarer causes are more common in those assigned female at birth, especially those who are or have been pregnant<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying underlying causes of heart disease and putting you on a path to address them starts with annual check ups<\/a> with your primary care provider.<\/p>\n\n\n Tests in the emergency department didn\u2019t reveal the source of Dan English\u2019s chest pain. A noninvasive way to measure blood flow around the heart later showed Dan was at risk of a \u201cwidow-maker\u201d heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read Dan\u2019s story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n High blood pressure, if left uncontrolled, can affect your heart, kidneys, brain and other major organs. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms and can be detected only by blood pressure checks. Medication and lifestyle changes can reduce your blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cholesterol is made by your liver, but your diet can create more cholesterol than your body needs. The excess builds up as waxy plaques on the walls of your arteries, limiting blood flow. LDL cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in your arteries. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, on the other hand, can provide some protection against heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lipid blood test measures your cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Type 2 diabetes carries a higher risk of death from heart disease<\/a> in adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obesity typically comes with higher LDL cholesterol<\/a> and triglyceride levels and lower levels of HDL cholesterol<\/a>. Obesity also can trigger high blood pressure and diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When someone is having a heart attack, seconds count. It is critical to connect with quality heart attack care<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHeart Attack Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n
Seek help immediately by calling 911 if you experience these common signs of a heart attack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Heart Attack Causes and Risk Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Myocardial Infarction in the Absence of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (Minoca)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Heart Attack Risk Factors You Can\u2019t Change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Heart Disease Risk Factors You Can Improve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Noninvasive Test Reveals Potentially Deadly Heart Issue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat to Do if Someone Is Having a Heart Attack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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