Diseases of the cardiovascular system are in first place among the causes of mortality. Among them, one of the most serious pathologies is myocardial infarction, which quite often leads to premature death. It is very important to provide first aid, it often depends on this, if there is an extensive heart attack, consequences, chances to survive, rehabilitation.
What is myocardial infarction
In this condition, there is a violation of the blood supply to the heart muscle, which leads to the development of irreversible consequences. Acute oxygen starvation cannot pass without significant changes in the structure and function of the organ.
During hemorrhages, necrotic areas appear in the heart, which subsequently will not be able to perform their functions fully. The consequences of a heart attack are quite serious, the chances of survival depend entirely on the timely first aid to the victim. After a heart attack in the heart muscle, the affected cells are replaced by connective tissue, which severely limits the ability of the heart to contract.
If you believe the statistics, then our country takes the second place in the prevalence of heart disease. You can also take into account the following facts:
- Almost 40% of premature deaths are caused by myocardial infarction.
- If a massive heart attack occurs, only 17% of patients survive.
- In 11% of patients, relapse occurs.
It should also be noted that men aged 45 to 50 years are much more likely to suffer from this pathology. At this age, estrogen acts as a protector in the female body, but by the age of 70, its production completely stops and the risk of a heart attack in the female half of humanity also increases.
No cardiology center can increase the chances of surviving a diagnosis of "extensive heart attack" unless qualified assistance is provided to the victim in the first couple of hours.
Causes of heart attack
The main reason for the development of a heart attack is damage to the walls of the arteries with atherosclerotic plaques that disrupt blood circulation. This can happen with the following pathologies:
- Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels. If the plaque reaches a large size, then it can completely block the lumen of the vessel.
- Increased blood pressure, which leads to an increase in vascular tone and thickening of their walls. And if we still assume the presence of plaques in the vessels, then another surge in pressure can provoke an extensive heart attack. The consequences, the chances of survival, rehabilitation will depend on the speed of assistance.
- Fat embolism can also cause vascular thrombosis.
- Surgical vascular obstruction if angioplasty has been performed.
Risk factors
Not only the listed diseases and conditions can cause a heart attack, but there are several unfavorable factors that increase this risk several times:
- Diabetes mellitus can become an indirect culprit of a heart attack. With an increased content of glucose in the blood, metabolic processes are disturbed, which can lead to the appearance of sclerotic plaques in the vessels.
- At a young age, a heart attack can develop due to a hereditary predisposition.
- Kidney disease.
- Disorders in the diet.
- Overweight.
- Low physical activity.
- Smoking, not only active but also passive. During smoking, a vasospasm occurs, which leads to platelet settling on the plaques, over time this can lead to a complete overlap of the lumen of the vessel.
- Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to toxic damage to the heart muscle and blood vessels, increased blood pressure, which means that before a heart attack is at hand.
- Frequent stress and chronic overwork.
- Excessive physical activity can not go unnoticed for the heart.
- Rheumatism, which captures the walls of the heart.
- Infectious diseases, especially those caused by staphylococci and streptococci.
- High cholesterol.
- High concentration of triglycerides in the blood.
- Gender: it was found that in men heart attack develops much more often.
- Bad environmental conditions.
Given that most often a combination of several risk factors can be observed, it is not surprising that such a large number of citizens develop an extensive heart attack. The consequences, the chances of survival, rehabilitation will be considered a little later.
Infarct periods
Symptoms of this pathology will depend on the stage of development, and they are distinguished by several:
- Preinfarction condition.
- The sharpest period.
- Acute.
- Subacute.
- Post-infarction.
It is very important to distinguish between these periods in order to provide the necessary assistance to a person in a timely manner.
Signs of a pre-infarction condition
An extensive heart attack may not have such terrible consequences if one recognizes its approach even at the stage of a pre-infarction state. The following symptoms are characteristic of this period:
- There are pains behind the sternum, which can have different intensities and are stopped by taking Nitroglycerin.
- Dyspnea.
- Increased sweating.
- Heart rhythm disturbance.
- Nausea.
- With any physical exertion, the pain only intensifies.
- If an electrocardiogram is made during this period, then it will show disturbances in the blood supply to the heart muscle.
If you pay attention to such symptoms in time, then you can prevent an extensive heart attack (consequences). The chances of survival (rehabilitation will not be long) will be high.
Symptoms of the acute period
If the pre-infarction state can last a long time, sometimes up to a month, then the most acute period develops quite quickly. It is characterized by the manifestation of the following symptoms:
- Burning chest pain radiating to the left side of the body.
- Lowering blood pressure.
- Arrhythmia.
- Breathing becomes intermittent.
- The skin turns pale, cold sweat appears.
- A person may lose consciousness.
- If the back of the heart is affected, then you can feel nausea, pain in the stomach.
- There is a fear of death.
The acute stage can manifest atypical symptoms:
- Bouts of suffocation.
- A cough appears.
- Edema syndrome.
- There are signs of cerebral ischemia.
In some cases, the symptoms can be severely erased. This condition can last up to two hours. If this stage could not be avoided, it will cause quite serious extensive heart attack consequences. The chances of survival (rehabilitation is required for all such patients) will depend entirely on qualified medical care.
Acute period of pathology
An acute period is observed for several days after the attack. After an extensive heart attack, the following symptoms occur:
- The pain gradually decreases in intensity.
- A necrosis site forms in the heart.
- Blood pressure and body temperature increase.
- Heart rate goes astray.
- Shortness of breath appears.
A week after the attack, a subacute period begins, which is characterized by the absence of pain, normalization of heart rate and blood pressure. The area of necrosis on the heart muscle is gradually replaced by scar tissue.
When the post-infarction period begins, and it can last up to six months, the heart gradually adapts to new working conditions, compensatory mechanisms develop. The patient can often experience angina attacks, shortness of breath is observed and the heart rhythm is periodically disturbed.
First aid for heart attack
Extensive heart attack consequences can have varying degrees of complexity, it all depends on the first aid provided. Regardless of the type of pathology, the victim needs to provide first aid as soon as possible before the arrival of the team of doctors:
- The patient must be planted or laid and the legs bent at the knees.
- Provide fresh air, to do this, unfasten the collar, remove a tie or open a window.
- Under the tongue, give a tablet of Nitroglycerin.
- If you are not allergic to Aspirin, you can chew the medicine in an amount up to 300 mg.
- If the patient has lost consciousness, then it is necessary to turn him on his side and throw his head back.
- An urgent need is an indirect heart massage if it has stopped.
- Try to reassure the patient, panic in such a situation is not an assistant.
After providing assistance, it is necessary to deliver the victim to the hospital or wait for the ambulance crew to arrive.
Ambulance team actions
Immediately after arrival, emergency doctors begin to stop the attack, for this:
- Used narcotic drugs.
- If the patient has respiratory failure, then an oxygen mask is used.
- To relieve arousal in a patient, they are given sedatives.
- To confirm the diagnosis, a cardiogram is made right in the ambulance.
- The patient is taken to the hospital, depending on his condition, this may be the intensive care unit or intensive care unit.
Treatment for an extensive heart attack
Therapy of a heart attack should be carried out only in the cardiology department. The main task of doctors:
- Relieve pain.
- Reduce the area of necrotic lesion.
- Restore normal blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Reduce the risk of blood clots.
- Restore disturbed heart rate.
- Maintain blood pressure at a normal level.
To implement these tasks, the following drugs are prescribed:
- It is possible to relieve pain in the acute period with the help of narcotic painkillers, “Morphine”, “Promedol” can be attributed to them. These drugs are administered intravenously for the relief of pain.
- To relieve nervous excitability, the use of tranquilizers is indicated (Diazepam, Relanium).
- Thrombolytic therapy is carried out, which involves taking Alteplase, Fiboinolizin. These drugs dissolve blood clots, the size of myocardial necrosis is reduced.
- Reception of anticoagulants, the main among which is Aspirin.
- ACE inhibitors are prescribed that slow down cardiac activity, normalize blood pressure and dilate blood vessels. This group includes Captopril, Ranipril.
- For the treatment of arrhythmias, cardioprotectors are indicated (for example, “Atenolol”, “Propranolol”).
If drug treatment does not bring relief to the patient, then you will have to resort to surgery.
Recovery after a heart attack
Many are interested in the question: how many live after an extensive heart attack? The answer will depend not only on the treatment, but also on the proper rehabilitation. In this period, after a heart attack, it is very important to recover not only physically, but also mentally. Physical therapy is prescribed for the patient, but it is necessary to deal with it, constantly monitoring the pulse. Not only special exercises help to restore the cardiovascular system, but positively affect:
- Walking.
- Massage.
- Therapeutic baths.
If an extensive heart attack is suffered, rehabilitation involves a review of the diet. It is imperative to include products that normalize the work of the heart:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Bread.
- Juices.
- Porridge.
Exclude from the menu products that provoke the formation of sclerotic plaques in the vessels:
- Fatty dishes.
- Smoked meats.
- Sausages.
- Butter and sour cream.
- Fat cottage cheese.
If the patient has suffered an extensive heart attack, how many live after such a pathology will depend on compliance with all the recommendations of the attending physician. The patient will have to reconsider his lifestyle:
- Bad habits such as smoking and drinking should be a thing of the past.
- Limit physical activity.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- Take walks in the fresh air in any weather.
- Take medications prescribed by your doctor to prevent the formation of plaque in your blood vessels. Most likely, throughout life you will have to use medications so as not to provoke a relapse.
It is very good if there is an opportunity to undergo a rehabilitation course in a specialized sanatorium.
The consequences of a heart attack
If an extensive heart attack has occurred, then, as a rule, the consequences in patients are serious:
- Arrhythmia.
- The formation of blood clots in the cardiovascular system.
- Disturbances in the work of many internal organs are observed.
- Limbs refuse.
- Speech disturbance can be observed
- One of the serious consequences is aneurysm of the heart and thromboembolism.
- Pulmonary edema.
- Heart failure.
- Cardiogenic shock.
- Impaired respiratory function.
- Heart failure.
Although you can somehow prevent the development of serious complications, you can follow all the doctor's recommendations, as well as change your lifestyle and attitude to your health.
Heart attack prevention
You can prevent the development of a heart attack if you carefully consider your health and prevent the formation of sclerotic plaques in the vessels. To do this, observe the following recommendations:
- Include more fresh vegetables and fruits containing fiber in your diet.
- Reduce the intake of fatty, smoked and fried foods.
- Lead a healthy lifestyle.
- To prevent stress, master the methods of relaxation.
- Monitor blood sugar and cholesterol.
- Treat chronic pathology.
- Consult a doctor if angina attacks occur.
Myocardial infarction is a serious cardiological disease that can lead to death, but each patient, following medical recommendations, can prevent this terrible pathology.