Heart Attack
(The following dialogue is between Father and Son from a
middle-class family, Son is enrolled in +2 Science and today he is late at home
due to an incident with his friend in School.)
Father: Hey, Ayaan, why were you late to home today?
Son: (sighs),
I had made a call to Mom, I was in the hospital. It's just so unreal, Dad.
Kunja was one of my best friends, and now he's no more. He had a heart attack,
the doctors said.
Father: I can't imagine how tough this is for you. Anyway,
take your dinner and explain to me later.
Son: OK
father.
Father: Did you finish your dinner? Can you tell me what had
happened? Did doctors mention anything about what might have caused the heart
attack?
Son: Yeah,
Dad. It's really hard to say this, but it seems like the drugs he was using
played a role. It's just shocking.
Father: I'm so sorry to hear that, Ayaan. It's heartbreaking
when someone so young faces such consequences. Did you know he was using drugs?
Son: Not
really, Dad. We knew he partied occasionally, but we never thought it would
lead to something like this. It's just a wake-up call, you know?
Father: Heart attacks these days are the cause of many deaths
in our locality as well. We heard that last week your Kiran Uncle in Sinamangal
also passed away with the same problem. Did you ask doctors what a heart attack
is?
Son: Yes
Father, Doctors told us that heart attack also known as myocardial infarction
is a serious and emergency condition in which the flow of blood to the heart
tissues is suddenly reduced or blocked, and in this situation, the heart cannot
do its work properly, and the person feels extreme difficulty. Heart attack is
caused by the deposit of fat or cholesterol on the inner wall of the artery is
called plaque. Sometimes, these plaques break down and cause blood clotting,
which may also block capillaries, damaging certain tissues of the heart, and
immediate treatment is required to save the life of a person suffering from a
heart attack.
Heart Attack- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afYCN3Upy_w
Father: Oh….is it! I was very unaware of these facts. Did you
ask about the risk factors of heart attack
Son: Yes,
Doctors told us that there are many risk factors for heart attack.
- Age: Males above
45 years and females above 55 years of age (or after menopause) are at the
risk of heart attack than the youths.
- Diabetes: Diabetes
is a disorder in which blood sugar levels increase in the body. This
condition also increases the risk of heart attack.
- Consumption of tobacco products: Chewing tobacco and its products and smoking
cigarettes are also the causes of heart attacks.
- High blood pressure or hypertension: A person whose blood pressure has been high
for a long time is also at risk of heart attack.
- High cholesterol and triglycerides: Arteries become narrower due to the
deposition of high levels of bad cholesterol on their inner wall. Such
cholesterol resists the flow of blood through the artery and increases the
chance of a heart attack. Similarly, high levels of triglycerides in the
blood also increase the risk of heart attack.
- Family history: You
have a higher risk if your father or a brother was diagnosed with coronary
artery disease before 55 years of age or if your mother or a sister was
diagnosed with coronary artery disease before 65 years of age.
- Lack of regular exercise and unhealthy diet: Consumption of foodstuffs containing more
trans-fat, salt, sugar, animal fat. and processed foods and lack of
regular exercise also increases the risk of a heart attack.
- Infections: Sometimes
infections caused by bacteria and viruses also may lead to heart attack.
- Stressful life: Emotional
stress, like excessive anger or excessive negative thinking, etc. also
increases the risk of a heart attack.
- Consumption of illegal drugs: Habits such as taking drugs like cocaine and
amphetamines as stimulants affect the coronary artery and increase the
chance of a heart attack.
Father: With these, I think I am also in the red zone as I have
been taking medicine for Diabetes and Blood pressure since the last 8 years.
Son: Yes
father, Doctors also gave us an idea about the symptoms of a heart attack as
follows
- Sudden pain and discomfort in the centre of the
chest which slowly spreads to the shoulder, hand, neck, jaw and sometimes
the stomach.
- Cold sweat, fatigue, shortness of breath.
- Headache or sudden dizziness, nausea.
- Regular discomfort or pressure in the
chest region that does not get reduced even after taking a rest.
- But some people may have sudden heart
attacks.
Father: It sounds as if the information is very informative and
everyone should be aware of it. Son, did you learn about some preventive
measures for heart attack?
Son: Doctors
told us about the following preventive measures for heart attack
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Physical exercises should be done regularly.
- Keep a healthy body weight.
- Consume a healthy and balanced diet.
- Do not consume alcohol and give up smoking.
- Manage the stress.
- High blood pressure and diabetes patients should
go for regular health check-ups to minimize the risk of heart attack.
Father: Did you ask doctors about the diagnosis and treatment
of heart attack?
Son: Doctors
told us that for the diagnosis of a heart attack, pulse, blood
pressure, and temperature are checked. Diagnosis also involves overall tests
related to the heart, heartbeat, etc. A heart attack is tested using various
techniques, including Electrocardiogram, blood test, echo, angiography, CT
Coronary Angiogram, and MRI.
Angiography:
Angiography is a type of fluoroscopy X-ray used to test
blockages in blood vessels. A special dye called contrast medium is injected
into the blood which highlights blood flow and provides a clear view of
problems in blood vessels. The X-ray image formed in angiography is called an
angiogram.
During a heart attack, many tissues of the heart are destroyed per minute. So, immediate treatment is essential to restore blood flow and oxygen levels. The treatment of a heart attack depends on whether there is a partial or complete blockage of blood flow. The patient should be immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. When angiogram and angioplasty equipment are not available, doctors start treatment by using blood thinners. Coronary angioplasty and stenting, coronary artery bypass surgery, etc., are used to open blocked arteries.
Angiogram- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUpjL_R4qX4
Coronary angioplasty and stenting:
This medical procedure is used to open the clogged coronary
artery of the heart, also known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
During angioplasty, a cardiologist puts a long, thin, flexible tube called a
catheter into a blood vessel of the hand or leg and guides it to the narrowed
artery of the heart where plaque is present. A stent (a small metal mesh tube)
is placed at narrowed or blocked blood vessels and widens the blood
vessels during angioplasty.
Coronary artery bypass surgery:
Coronary artery bypass surgery is also called open-heart
surgery and is the emergency surgical procedure adopted during a heart attack.
This method involves surgery by taking a healthy blood vessel from the leg area
and making a new pathway to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. Then, heart
tissues get nutrient and oxygen-rich blood through a new pathway. This method
of treatment is also known as Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).
Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxc22Fjd1NQ&t=206s
Father: Life can be unpredictable, and it's important to
learn from these experiences. Hope the information that you got from doctors
will help other people to be safe from heart attacks. OK then Goodnight and
have a sweet dream see you tomorrow.
Son: Goodnight
father…
THE END
Source of information:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-attack
Angiography - Demian J. Omeh; Evan Shlofmitz.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557477/
Coronary-Artery Bypass Grafting
References.
John H. Alexander, M.D., M.H.S., and Peter K. Smith, M.D.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1406944
Date : 2080/9/22 Sunday
Submitted to: Department of science, Nepal Police School
Prepared by : Sajib Manandhar (Secondary Section)
Assigned task : To prepare an article for the school's blog
Topic of article: Heart attack
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