Q1. How long can you live after suffering from a heart attack?
This depends upon the severity of the heart attack and whether a person has had a heart attack previously. Consulting with a cardiologist on medical, diet and lifestyle changes can greatly improve life expectancy after a heart attack.
Q2. How are symptoms of heart attack different for women?
Symptoms of heart attack are different in men and women. Women might experience shortness of breath, a squeezing sensation in their chest and pain in the jaw, neck and back. Unlike in men, women can experience a heart attack without chest pain.
Q3. Can you recover from cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest is a sudden stop to the beating of the heart. This can affect various organs of the body since there is a lack of blood supplied to them. This results in a loss of consciousness.
Since massive cardiac arrests impact neurological and respiratory function, the chances of survival are slim. The survival rate from a cardiac arrest increases significantly with prompt CPR and hospital admission.
Q4. Can stress cause heart disease?
In recent times, stress has increased in the younger generation. Stress about work, stress about health, stress about children’s education—there seems to be no end to it. However, stress management is an important life skill.
Stress produces the hormone cortisol, which gives the body energy to go about any activity. But a huge amount of cortisol over a long period of time is detrimental to the body as it may increase your blood sugar levels and cause hypertension, which ultimately may result in heart disease.
Q5. Is CPR effective against a heart attack or cardiac arrest?
CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is a manual procedure done to keep the blood flowing and restart the heart.
In CPR, the heart is manually pumped by pressing down on the chest. The person performing the procedure blows air into the affected individuals’ lungs in tandem with the manual pumping. This is a first-aid procedure that, when performed correctly, can help in preventing death due to heart attacks or cardiac arrests.
What is the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack? Is there any difference between myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest?
Myocardial infarction (sometimes confused with a silent cardiac arrest) is simply the scientific name for heart attacks. There is a significant difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack.
Heart attacks differ from cardiac arrests because, in a heart attack, the arteries are blocked wholly or partially, making it difficult for the heart to function. In contrast, a cardiac arrest is an electrical problem where the system that controls the overall functioning of all cardiovascular activities undergoes a glitch.
Q7. Can I prevent a heart attack?
It’s difficult to predict the occurrence of a heart attack unless you understand all the risk factors. While risk factors like age and genetics are out of your control, you can avoid heart attacks by making lifestyle changes.
Habits like smoking and drinking excessive alcohol can be stopped for a healthy way of life. Managing weight has to become a priority as being overweight and eating unhealthy food increases the risk of a massive heart attack and death.
Q8. Even if there is no risk of heart disease, should a checkup still be done?
The risk of heart diseases will undoubtedly increase with age. Even if there is no risk, it is better to get a yearly checkup done that rules out any degeneration in the functioning of the heart.
An annual exam includes checking blood pressure levels, performing an ECG (EchoCardiogram) and other tests on overall health. The tests may also include a risk assessment based on which follow up exams would be scheduled.
You can consult a cardiologist online on MFine to evaluate your risk factors for heart disease
Conclusion
It is important to not only understand the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack but also that there is a clear link between the two. Although the causes are varied, the aftermath of one heart condition can trigger the other.
Understanding the underlying risks and keeping yourself medically informed is the way to avoid heart diseases.
And even with these measures, if a heart attack or cardiac arrest does occur, being vigilant about the signs and quick action can help in preventing severe consequences.