A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, normally occurs when blood flow through one or more of the coronary arteries is blocked, thus reducing oxygen to the heart muscle. Recognizing the early warning signs of a heart attack is key to maximizing survival and minimizing heart muscle damage.
Chest Pain
Chest pain, in some cases severe, is a classic early warning signal of a heart attack. In many heart attack cases, chest pain presents as a generalized feeling of heaviness and discomfort that radiates over the entire chest area. In other cases, chest pain is more localized and sharp, often times producing piercing, sharp pains in the generalized area of the heart muscle. Regardless of its severity, unexplained chest pain should be treated as a medical emergency.
Arm Pain/Numbness
Pain and/or numbness radiating down the arm is a common early stage harbinger of heart attack. In the majority of cases, pain typically radiates down the left arm, sometimes traveling as far as the forearm and hand. In less typical cases, pain and numbness can radiate up into the neck and jaw region, and even affect the mouth and face.
Shortness of Breath
Heart attacks arise when an area of blood flow to the heart is compromised, which normally happens when a blood clot lodges in a coronary artery that has been narrowed by arteriosclerosis. When blood flow to certain areas of the heart is reduced, or in some cases stopped altogether, the heart becomes starved of oxygen, which disrupts its normal pumping action and ability to meet exertional demands. This can cause shortness of breath as well as feelings of fatigue and light-headedness.
Dizziness
Although not as common as chest pain and tightness in the chest, dizziness can be an early warning signal of a heart attack (or impending heart attack). This is normally caused by a lack of oxygenated blood flow to the brain, which stems from the inability of the heart muscle to effectively pump blood, a common result of a heart attack. The more severe a heart attack, the greater the deprivation of blood flow to the brain, which typically produces extreme dizziness and, in many cases, loss of consciousness.
Arrhythmia
Many times a heart attack will disrupt the normal electrical signals that cause the heart to beat. When these electrical signals become interrupted or altered, the heart can develop an arrhythmia, which is an abnormally fast and/or chaotic heartbeat. In severe cases, a heart arrhythmia can prevent normal heart function and lead to cardiac arrest. An arrhythmia is often an early warning signal of a heart attack and should be treated as a medical emergency.
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