Myocardial infarction is a serious threat to human life. About 50% of patients die before the arrival of medical help, and 30% of survivors in the first stage die from complications of the disease. Previously, it was believed that a heart attack is an age-related disease, the majority of patients were over 50 years old. But today this indicator has changed, more and more often a heart attack overtakes its victims at the age of 30-35. Disappointing statistics indicate that the prevention of myocardial infarction is becoming more important every year. After all, explaining to a person how to avoid serious danger is much easier than putting him on his feet after a heart attack.
Ischemic disease
Ischemic disease is a pathological condition in which the blood supply to the myocardium is completely or partially disturbed due to damage to the coronary arteries. A healthy body maintains a balance between the amount of incoming blood and the metabolic needs of the myocardium. this balance is not maintained. The heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen, as a result, a person may have a heart attack or angina attacks begin. Heart attack - one of the most difficult manifestations Timely prevention of myocardial infarction helps to avoid problems and maintain health and performance.
More about heart attack
A heart attack is the death of a part of the heart muscle as a result of a cessation of blood supply. The blood flow can be blocked by cholesterol plaques or a blood clot from artery blood clots. The process develops very quickly and is irreversible. Even if a person was saved, it is impossible to restore the area prone to necrosis, in this place the muscle tissue is gradually replaced by scar tissue. In the future, the scar prevents the full work of the heart muscle.
The heart muscle (myocardium) is most often affected by a heart attack. But it can occur in the intestines or kidneys.
Is a cerebral infarction a stroke?
Putting an equal sign between these terms is not entirely correct. A stroke is a violation of blood circulation in the brain with a violation of its functions, damage to tissue areas. This disease is also called Cerebral infarction - only one of the subtypes of this process, in addition to necrosis, can occur in the brain or subarachnoid space. Stroke has focal or cerebral neurological symptoms. Even if a person has managed to get help, neurological disorders occur, due to which the patient may partially or completely lose control over his own body and speech.
Heart attack in men
It has been proven that men have more risk factors leading to a heart attack. The strong half of humanity is more aggressive, has a tendency to compete, often quarrels and experiences stress. In addition, men smoke more and drink alcohol more often, many of them are obese, but continue a sedentary lifestyle. Neglect of a healthy lifestyle leads to manifestations of atherosclerosis, angina and arrhythmia. Therefore, the prevention of heart attack in men is of great importance. If a man does not want to take care of his health, then he is more likely not to live even to retirement age. Moreover, the symptoms of a heart attack in men are often unexpressed. If sudden death has not occurred, then the development of a heart attack can proceed even without loss of consciousness, causing unconscious anxiety, nausea, vomiting, and dull pain behind the sternum.
heart attack in women
At a young age, women are less likely to have an acute heart attack. This is due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background in their body. And besides, women often lead a more orderly lifestyle and take their health more seriously.
However, after 50 years, the statistics change dramatically. After menopause, the likelihood of a heart attack increases dramatically, overcoming even male indicators. Prevention of a heart attack for women is of particular importance, since the mortality rate from this disease is much higher for them. Early signs of a heart attack in them are similar to overwork or a flu infection, which often leads to medical errors. Many patients did not feel chest discomfort at all before the development of acute signs. The most common symptom in women is shortness of breath and difficulty breathing after minor physical activity that does not go away even after rest.
Prevention measures. Medications
Since people with manifestations of hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure (blood pressure) are most prone to heart attacks and strokes, doctors often prescribe drug prevention of a heart attack. Drugs, for example, prevent the formation of blood clots. The most common appointment after forty years - "Aspirin". Acetylsalicylic acid, in pharmacies this medicine is most often called that way, is prescribed in the minimum dosage - 100 mg once in the afternoon. "Aspirin" reduces the ability of blood cells to aggregate (glue into clots). As a result, microcirculation improves and the risk of thrombosis decreases. But the drug has a number of contraindications, the main of which are a tendency to bleeding, hemophilia, ulcers.
Based on aspirin, several drugs have been created that are used as a preventive measure for heart attack. The drugs are produced under the names: "Trombo ACC", "Trombogard 100", "Aspirin cardio", "Cardiomagnyl".
An important task is the prevention of heart attacks and strokes against the background of hypertension. In this case, drugs block calcium channels, stimulating vasodilation. Drugs for the prevention of stroke and heart attack in patients with high blood pressure are always selected individually. The dosage is prescribed by the attending physician. Norvask, Plendil, Carden and others often appear in appointments. Additionally, beta-blockers may be prescribed.
Drug prevention of heart attack includes agents for lowering cholesterol levels. For this, statins are prescribed: Lipitor, Crestor, Vitorin and other medicines. The drug "Ovencor" is very popular among doctors. It allows you to influence the level of cholesterol, prevents atherosclerosis and reduces the size of plaques in the vessels. Treatment with statins always requires a special prescription, since after obtaining the expected result, the drug will have to be taken in minimal doses constantly.
Primary prevention measures. Hypodynamia - enemy number 1
Prevention of the development of a heart attack is divided into primary and secondary. Primary measures include treatment of coronary artery disease and control of cholesterol. This also includes the normalization of pressure. It is not always possible to achieve the desired results only with the use of medicinal preparations. Most often, you have to additionally revise your lifestyle.
Nutrition of the heart muscle is significantly dependent on regular physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle not only leads to obesity, but also contributes to the deposition of cholesterol. That is why doctors recommend walking, running and swimming to their patients as a means of preventing a heart attack. The regularity of loads is important here, not sports records.
With a tendency to atherosclerosis and ischemia, you should not engage in weightlifting and other power sports. And it should also be remembered that any physical activity should be accompanied by rhythmic breathing. It is harmful to hold inhalations and exhalations during sports.
Balanced diet
Abundant feasts, overeating, fatty meals, fried meat, buns and sweets are a daily diet for many. But the prevention of heart attack in this area is aimed at the transition to rational nutrition. A person should receive the required amount of protein, but at the same time avoid fatty foods, choosing dietary meats (chicken breast, turkey, rabbit). The diet should include plenty of vegetables and fruits. In addition, attention is drawn to the vitamin content of products. It is advisable to diversify your diet so that you get the maximum amount of trace elements and vitamins with food.
Weight loss
In this case, we are no longer talking about an attractive figure, but about the need to reduce body fat. Prevention of myocardial infarction, stroke and other manifestations of coronary disease includes the mandatory normalization of weight. The fact is that adipose tissue has many blood vessels, and this increases the load on the heart muscle. Excess weight affects the stability of blood pressure and increases the likelihood of diabetes. All this does not make a person healthier, but on the contrary, leads to a deterioration in the quality of life.
Bad habits
Giving up bad habits can be considered one of the main ways to prevent a heart attack. Smokers do not agree that nicotine provokes heart attacks, they argue that there is no direct evidence of this. However, there is direct evidence that cigarettes cause narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, and this increases the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, heart attack prevention includes smoking cessation.
Alcohol is more difficult. Of course, alcoholics can only be called healthy people in an ironic context, but small doses of alcohol have a positive effect on blood vessels. A person who drinks a few sips of dry wine at lunch or dinner is less likely to suffer from atherosclerosis. But our mentality often requires "continuation of the banquet." It is difficult to stop at a few sips of wine, and alcohol abuse begins. As a result, a person becomes an alcoholic and dies of cirrhosis of the liver. Do you need it?
Regular examinations
At least once a year, each person must undergo a preventive medical examination. This requirement is a preventive measure in case of a threat not only of a heart attack, but also of many other pathological conditions. Be sure to include an ECG, an analysis for cholesterol and blood glucose levels in the medical examination.
self control
For the prevention of a heart attack, it is important to learn how to control emotions in stressful conditions, prevent depression and follow the regimen. The ability to calm down in time, as they say, “not to take problems to heart”, not to harbor resentment and not accumulate anger is very important for a person who thinks about his health. Excessive experiences lead to vasospasm, which reduces the blood supply to the heart muscle. Hence the increased risk of heart attack.
Secondary prevention
Secondary prevention of a heart attack is a set of measures aimed at preventing a recurrent heart attack in a patient. Even if rehabilitation after partial myocardial necrosis is successful, and the person feels quite healthy, from a medical point of view, he will never be healthy. It is with this thought that patients have the hardest time to come to terms. To prevent a second heart attack, a person will have to take a certain set of drugs for the rest of his life. It can be very difficult to convince patients of this, they begin to violate the prescribed medication schedule and provoke a recurrence of the problem.
Prevention after a heart attack includes all the positions mentioned earlier. However, physical activity will now require additional monitoring by specialists. Most often, physical activity begins with a calm unhurried walk for 10 minutes. Diet optimization is carried out by a nutritionist together with the attending cardiologist. The diet not only limits fatty and fried foods, but also reduces the amount of salt and liquid.
Of great importance for secondary prevention is the social rehabilitation of the patient. It is necessary to eliminate constant anxiety and fear of a second heart attack, this can be achieved by prescribing sedative drugs. It is important that the patient does not dwell on his problems and does not try to arouse sympathy from relatives and friends. He should strive to restore activity and try to serve himself on his own.
Help of traditional medicine
Traditional medicine cannot replace taking aspirin or statins, but it can significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack. So, to lower cholesterol levels, a special alcohol infusion is used, which includes:
- half a cup of dried radish peel (black);
- half a glass of dried horseradish leaves;
- one pod of dried red pepper;
- a few handfuls of walnut partitions.
All components are poured with alcohol and infused in the dark for 2 weeks. The composition is used for grinding.
High efficiency has an infusion of white willow bark. Its action is similar to "Aspirin", but does not completely replace the intake of this drug.
To lower cholesterol, you can drink a decoction of the collection of herbs with honey. The collection includes: chamomile, St. John's wort, immortelle, birch buds. A tablespoon of the collection is brewed for 0.5 liters of boiling water. The remedy is infused for several hours before taking.
Keeping healthy blood vessels and the heart is quite within the power of everyone. The simple recommendations outlined in the article will help to avoid such a nuisance as a second heart attack. Prevention, treatment are very important for the patient, so do not neglect them. A heart attack is not yet a death sentence. With the right attitude to your body, you can end up with a rich and long life.
