The heart is one of the important organs of our body around which every other organ plays its role. The heart is at the left side of our body hidden inside the rib cage and covered with tons of muscles. To keep body function alive these are the vital roles play by the heart:
- The heart helps in pumping the oxygenated blood and hormones to the other parts of our body.
- It receives impure blood which is given back to the lungs to oxygenate it.
- It helps in maintaining blood pressure.
If the health of the heart would not be taken care of properly it may lead to a host of diseases. Today we are going to talk about one of the most common heart problems such as heart attack and heart failure.
Difference between heart attack and heart failure?
A heart attack occurs suddenly when one of the arteries (vein carrying pure oxygenated blood) becomes blocked and hampers the blood flow to the body, due to which heart muscle starts to die.
Heart failure is such a condition when the human heart stops working normally, after heart failure, it's working may be affected due to complications and works 20-30 per cent. In heart failure, its muscles become weak due to which trouble arrives in pumping blood and nourishing the cells in the body. This condition can improve with medications properly as it arrives slowly.
Read | Heart Specialist: It's not unusual for fit, young people to have a heart attack
Causes of heart attack:
- After a plaque of fat breaks off in your veins and blood clots start forming there, it causes blockage of blood flow. If there is no hardening of arteries, chances of heart disease can arrive by sudden involuntary action in coronary arteries.
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection can also be a very rare reason. In this, a heart attack may appear because of a tear in the walls of the coronary artery.
- If your heart is receiving or pushing blood through hard blood vessels, blocked space it can result in heart failure as the muscles will become weak and won't get enough supply of blood.
- Heart failure can also occur because of other underlying reasons like heart valve disease, spontaneous coronary artery, irregular heartbeat, HIV/ AIDS, thyroid, drug use disorder, lungs dysfunction, and chemotherapy.
- Coronary artery disease is the root cause of heart attack and heart failure. This disease occurs when lots of fat is built up in our veins and causes narrowing and hardening of arteries.
Symptoms
- Symptoms of heart attack vary from person to person and even males and females can experience different symptoms but some of the common symptoms are:
- Trouble while breathing.
- Some people can experience chest pain, this might come and go. One can feel a burning heart and squeezing chest feel.
- Pain and discomfort in upper parts of the body like jaw, neck, arms or stomach.
- Generally, women feel cold and sweaty. They can also experience lightheadedness and tiredness.
- Someone with heart failure may go through the following symptoms:
- Confusion and tiredness.
- Shortening of breath especially when someone is lying down.
- Coughing.
- Their legs, ankles and stomach may swell up.
- If you encounter any of these symptoms, kindly contact professionals for immediate help and take proper treatment.
Prevention
- It is always beneficial to stay away from diseases rather than to treat them so if you are on the verge of heart disease, you must ensure your lifestyle and eating habits are healthy.
- Here are some of the foods which one can consume to keep their heart healthy:
- Beans, peas, and chickpeas are good choices to keep bad cholesterol away. They are also rich in fibers and proteins which help to keep the general health of the heart stronger.
- Fish high in Omega 3s is also healthy for the heart as they lower the abnormal heartbeats and reduce the risk of plaque in arteries.
- Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts are beneficial as they provide antioxidants and keep you energetic the whole day.
- Green leafy vegetables are safe for the heart as they provide fiber, protein which helps to moderate blood pressure and weight.