From a medical point of view, it is proved that the cause of heart attack in men is the consequences of atherosclerosis. The disease is considered one of the most serious associated with the cardiovascular system of the individual. What is a heart attack? This is the death of a part of the heart muscle as a result of the thrombus clogging the coronary vessel, and the blood supply is disturbed. Less commonly, this is due to spasm or embolism. Regardless of the factor that caused the narrowing of the lumen of the vessel, the blood in it ceases to circulate, and the muscle experiences an acute lack of oxygen. If this condition lasts about twenty minutes, then part of the muscle tissue dies. Accordingly, the work of the heart is disturbed.
general information
The heart attack clinic for men and women is different. This phenomenon is associated with constitutional and hormonal differences. In the male, clogging of large arteries most often occurs. When conducting angiography, the affected area is better visualized. The symptoms of the disease are diverse, and this fact makes diagnosis difficult.
Myocardial infarction is an acute clinical form of coronary heart disease, that is, due to a malfunction in blood supply, several or one part of the heart muscle dies, and a scar forms in this place. The damaged area is not able to recover, and, accordingly, to perform its functions. A vast lesion often causes the individual to die. Life expectancy after a heart attack depends on:
- timely assistance by medical personnel;
- from the breadth of damage to the heart muscle;
- the presence of consequences;
- follow the doctor’s recommendations.
It is important to know that precursors-symptoms, or the first signs of a heart attack, in men make themselves felt in a few (usually 3–7), but they happen in 30–40 days. Due to the fact that they are short-term and quickly pass, they are often not paid attention to. So, when the first symptoms of this ailment appear in men, physicians should be called immediately. Treatment at home is unacceptable, since there is a high risk of death, and in another case - disability.
Features of the onset of the disease in the male
In a strong half of humanity, and especially in young men, the causes of myocardial infarction are associated with some risks that have an adverse effect on the body. Their lifestyle comes to the fore, as well as:
- constant stress;
- excess weight;
- excessive consumption of alcohol-containing drinks;
- poor nutrition;
- smoking;
- untimely appeal to the doctor.
As already mentioned earlier, a heart attack is a malnutrition of certain sections of the heart muscle, which results in necrosis. The main cause of this pathology is a failure of patency of the coronary vessels, which is facilitated by the above undesirable factors. Thus, the leading cause of myocardial infarction in men, especially at a fairly young age, is the occurrence of blood clots, as a result of which the patency of the arteries of the heart is impaired. Consider the mechanism of this process:
- A blood clot or clot penetrates with blood into the cavity of the artery, which supplies the heart muscle, and the lumen of the vessel is closed.
- Myocardial nutrition stops.
- After a few minutes, usually no more than twenty, the death of heart muscle tissue begins.
If within three to four hours the patient does not receive emergency specialized care, then the probability of death increases significantly.
Myocardial infarction. Some statistics
Increasingly, in recent years, doctors have diagnosed this ailment in young men. Earlier, a heart attack usually occurred in people over 60 years old. According to statistics, men in the age category from forty to sixty are considered the most vulnerable to this disease. Later, the likelihood of its occurrence decreases, and at seventy years it is registered very rarely. The reason for this phenomenon is as follows. Frequent attacks of angina pectoris contribute to the formation of roundabout ways of blood movement. Therefore, in the event of a failure of blood flow in the central arteries, they come to the rescue. The incidence of heart attack in men 50 years of age and older is the same as in women in this age category.
The most common cause of this phenomenon is a damage to the blood vessels provoked by atherosclerosis. Often, pathology develops due to a hereditary predisposition, hypertension, kidney disease, as well as endocrine disruptions. The risk of an ailment increases in the fall and spring. According to medical statistics, myocardial infarction is twice as often diagnosed in a strong half of humanity. At present, a heart attack in a man of 30 years is often found, which does not surprise anyone.
Sex and age features
Earlier, a heart attack was considered a disease of older men. However, in recent decades, this pathology has become younger, and young men are not safe from this terrible disease. According to statistics, about sixty percent of people experience a heart attack after a 65-year milestone. The stronger sex is most susceptible to this disease. Common causes of heart attack in young men are due to the fact that male sex hormones are less active in protecting the blood vessels of the heart, unlike women. Therefore, a disease such as coronary atherosclerosis in women develops later than in men. After 45 years, there is a sharp decrease in the level of sex hormones, and the risk of heart attack in women increases. Unfortunately, most ladies do not pay attention to precursor symptoms and later turn to doctors for help.
Thus, the fair sex in the age category from 55 to 60 years, the risk of this ailment is as great as that of men at 60 years old. The causes of a heart attack are constant stress, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, excessive drinking, and smoking.
Causes and predisposing factors of the disease
In 90% of all cases, the disease occurs due to coronary artery thrombosis provoked by atherosclerosis. As a result of this, the supply of blood to the area of ​​the heart muscle is suspended, which leads to oxygen starvation and insufficient intake of nutrients. As a result, necrosis of the affected area occurs. The described changes are formed three to seven hours after the normal blood supply stops. After seven to fourteen days, the necrotic zone is overgrown with connective tissue, and after one to two months a scar forms in this place. In other cases, the cause of myocardial infarction in men is such pathological conditions as neoplasms, spasm or thrombosis of coronary vessels, and trauma to the heart. There are also factors that cause coronary blood flow failure. They increase the risk of heart attack. These include:
- alcoholism;
- diabetes;
- smoking;
- hypertonic disease;
- constant stress;
- obesity;
- excessive physical and mental activity;
- disorders of the blood coagulation system.
In addition, even against the background of kidney damage, the development of a heart attack is possible. The causes of extensive heart attack in men are similar to those described above. In the case of this form of the disease, necrosis is present in various areas of the heart. And depending on the area of ​​the lesion, the following forms of extensive heart attack are distinguished - the posterior or front wall of the myocardium. The beginning of the development of pathology occurs in the left ventricle.
Stages of an extensive heart attack
There are several stages of this ailment:
- Prodromal or preinfarction state - lasts from several hours to a month, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. The patient has persistent angina pectoris.
- Acute - in time it takes from thirty to one hundred and twenty minutes. The individual feels severe pain in the chest, throws him into a cold sweat. The heart rate is unstable, the pressure drops.
- Acute - from three to ten days. In the myocardium, a section of dying tissue forms. Body temperature rises, arrhythmia is observed, the pain is dulled.
- A scar is forming. At this stage, which takes four to five weeks, the pressure and heart rate normalize.
- Post-infarction or the last - from three to six months. The heart adapts to work in new conditions.
Complications after a heart attack
Extensive heart attack in men (the causes of its appearance have been described above) has serious consequences. If within a day after a heart attack the patient does not receive specialized care, then irreversible processes will occur. In addition, it can cause intractable pathological conditions. Therefore, it is very important to undergo an examination after the rehabilitation course in order to identify at the early stage the complications provoked by a heart attack. Most often, doctors diagnose:
- arrhythmia;
- pulmonary edema;
- myocardial rupture;
- pericarditis;
- sometimes paralysis of the limbs;
- mental disorders;
- blood clots;
- heart block.
Some of the disorders respond to medical or surgical correction. And irreversible consequences are cardiac arrest and death of the individual.
The first symptoms and causes of the disease
Among the causes of a heart attack in men, in addition to the consequences of atherosclerosis, the following provoking factors are distinguished:
- gout;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- diabetes;
- hypertension;
- passive way of spending time;
- metabolic failure;
- problems with the blood coagulation system;
- high concentration of cholesterol;
- genetic predisposition.
Consider the first signs of a heart attack in men. Symptoms of precursors that signal an approaching problem are as follows:
- rapid pulse;
- increasing drowsiness and weakness;
- tingling and numbness of limbs;
- dermal cyanosis;
- dizziness;
- possible loss of consciousness;
- sudden surges in pressure;
- enhanced sweat separation;
- dyspnea;
- fatigue;
- feeling of lack of air.
The above symptoms appear a few days (3–7) before a heart attack. The first symptom of the onset of the disease is the sudden onset of intense pain behind the sternum in the region of the heart. It lasts more than ten minutes, and it is impossible to stop it with pain medication. By nature, the pain has a relapsing character and can be:
- burning;
- wave-like;
- compressive.
It is able to give to the jaw, perineum, scapula, upper limb, spread to the right half of the body. A pain attack is accompanied by:
- heart rate
- panic;
- disorientation;
- cold sweat;
- dry cough;
- sinking heart;
- fear of death.
Most often, a heart attack is detected closer to dawn. The explanation for this phenomenon is as follows. At night, the heart works less intensively, and awakening is associated with the release of hormonal substances into the blood, which stimulate its activity. Therefore, in the mornings, an increase in heartbeat, an increase in pressure, arrhythmias and, as a result, rupture of atherosclerotic plaques are likely. However, this does not exclude the development of a heart attack at other times.
Types of leg infarction
The manifestation of signs of the disease is proportional to the extent of damage to the heart muscle. If they are small, then we are talking about micro-infarcts, and the individual does not feel serious ailments, and writes off a slight deterioration in the condition on banal fatigue. Doctors in this situation say that the patient suffered an attack on his legs. In cases where a man suffered a heart attack on his legs, then you can detect a scar on the site of the affected muscle only by means of a hardware examination conducted for a different reason. The asymptomatic course of the disease is its atypical form. Doctors distinguish the following types of heart attack on the legs:
- Combined or worn out - the individual has a slight tingling sensation in the sternum, quick fatigue, and increased sweating.
- Brain or cerebral - manifests itself as a loss of orientation, impaired speech, a malfunction of blood flow.
- Gastrological or abdominal - the clinic manifests itself from the digestive system. Intolerance to certain smells, bloating and aching pain in the lower abdomen, nausea and vomiting appear.
- Arrhythmic necrosis - the heart stops, as it were, the pulse quickens.
- Shock or collaptoid - the pressure drops quite sharply, against the background of which a fainting state appears, tinnitus, dizziness.
- Asthmatic - it is characterized by coughing fits, inability to breathe fully, dyspnea. In this case, pain is absent.
The most difficult to analyze is the combined form of the disease, the consequences of which are revealed after some time. The greatest danger lies in cerebral infarction, because as a result of problems with speech, the individual can not say what is happening to him. It is almost impossible to detect an atypical heart attack, therefore any situation in which one's state of health changes is a reason to seek help from doctors.
Heart Attack Prevention
In the acute period of heart attack in men at the age of 40, and at a different age, it is necessary to follow a strict diet, as this will help to avoid a recurrence of the attack and prevent the occurrence of consequences. It is recommended to enrich the diet with the following products:
- fruit
- pasta;
- vegetables
- a variety of cereals;
- seafood;
- greens;
- berries;
- nuts
- dried fruits;
- meat and fish of low-fat varieties;
- diluted broths.
It is forbidden to receive:
- smoked meats;
- strong tea, coffee, alcohol-containing drinks;
- fatty varieties of fish and meat products;
- sausages.
It is also advisable to limit the use of salt as much as possible.
Dietary nutrition must be observed both during treatment and rehabilitation, and in the future.
In addition to changing the diet, an individual should:
- forever abandon addictions;
- avoid physical and mental stress;
- bring the weight back to normal;
- observe the drinking regimen recommended by the doctor;
- to perform physical exercises;
- daily take walks in the fresh air in all weather conditions;
- regularly monitor the pressure;
- constantly observed by a cardiologist;
- take medications prescribed by a specialist.
It is important to remember that failure to comply with the above recommendations, lack of preventive measures, as well as untimely treatment by doctors can lead to rupture of the heart muscle, heart failure, cardiogenic shock and cause death.
Primary prevention of heart attack in men at a young age
The causes of this ailment have been considered previously, and now we will focus on preventive measures. Unfortunately, most young patients themselves are in great danger, helping to weaken the heart muscle and provoke the necrosis of its parts. As you might guess, this is a lifestyle that leads to this serious illness. The following measures will help reduce these factors:
- Rejection of bad habits. Particularly dangerous for the individual’s heart is smoking, since nicotine disrupts the supply of oxygen to the myocardium and contributes to vasoconstriction. Alcohol-containing drinks also overload the vessels, forcing them to expand greatly.
- Physical activity. Due to the fact that one of the causes of a heart attack in men is considered to be physical inactivity, special attention should be paid to increasing mobility. Exercises are selected depending on well-being and age. It is desirable to increase the load in stages. It is best to start with a daily walk, abandoning trips in transport. In addition to helping the heart muscle, you will lose weight.
- Positive attitude. One of the heart attack provocateurs is stress. Remember that only positive emotions activate the production of substances useful for the main organ of a person. Learn to endure all the tests calmly, learn how to relax.
- The right diet. The heart needs vitamins, minerals, and especially potassium and magnesium. Cholesterol and carbohydrates interfere with the normal blood supply to tissues, clog vessels. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of fatty and fried foods, as well as salt and sugar. And preference should be given to vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, lean varieties of fish and meat.
- Therapy of diseases leading to a heart attack. All diseases involve the constant use of medications. For example, with hypertension - “Bisoprolol”, “Verapamil”, “Lisinopril”; atherosclerosis - "Rosuvastatin", "Bezalin", "Enduracin"; diabetes mellitus - insulins, Diabeton, Metformin; IHD - Amiodarone, Clopidogrel, Heparin, Nitroglycerin. The doctor selects the necessary medicines individually for each patient. It is important to constantly take them and regularly undergo medical observation.
Conclusion
After reading the article, you now know the causes of heart attack in men. Doctors are often asked how many such conditions a person can survive? There is no definite answer, everything is due to the individual characteristics of a particular person, and also depends on the number of vascular lesions of the heart. For example, with extensive pathology, usually no more than two attacks. It is especially difficult for young men to cope with the consequences. The reason is that in elderly patients a collateral blood flow is formed, i.e., blood bypasses those vascular sites that were attacked as a result of a heart attack. Knowing the causes of a heart attack in men, pay attention to your lifestyle and get involved in the prevention of this terrible ailment.