Heart Attack
Heart attack FAQs
View our short videos designed specifically to answer all your questions about Heart Attack
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack causes chest pain due to the heart muscle not getting enough blood supply. Like any muscle, the heart requires blood to work effectively and pump blood around the body. The blood is supplied to the heart by vessels called coronary arteries.
For various reasons, coronary arteries sometimes narrow and can block off completely. When this happens, the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood supply to function properly and becomes strained. This usually causes chest pain. You may have chest pain only when you exercise, as the heart needs to work harder to pump blood around the body or when your body is resting.
Symptoms of a heart attack
Most people develop central chest pain with a heart attack, but not everyone. The pain is often described as “tightness” or “pressure” in the chest, like a weight.
You may also experience:
- Sweating
- Feeling sick
- A faster heart rate
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the left or both arms
- Weakness or lightheadedness
- Pain in the jaw, neck, stomach, or back
What should I do if I think I’m having a heart attack?
If you think that you or someone around you is having a heart attack, you must call for an ambulance immediately (999).
When the ambulance arrives, they will immediately perform heart tracing (ECG). Depending on what this shows, they will take you to your local hospital or the nearest Cardiac Unit. Learn more about cardiac diagnostic tests.
Time is of the essence. The faster it is treated, the less damage the heart will sustain.
Who is at risk?
Many factors can make someone more likely to have a heart attack.
Risk factors include:
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol or triglycerides
- Men 45 or over, women 55 or older
- Certain ethnic groups are at higher risk
- Family history of coronary artery disease
How will my heart attack be treated?
Treatment depends on the type of heart attack you are having. If you have a STEMI (severe heart attack), an ambulance will likely take you to a specialist cardiac unit. At the cardiac unit, they will immediately perform a procedure called PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention).
During a PCI, a tube is put into the artery in your wrist or groin and passed up to the heart. The cardiologists will also take pictures of the heart’s arteries by injecting dye into the veins and taking X-rays. If they identify a blockage, they can open it up with stents. Stents are like special springs that hold the artery open from the inside.
If you are not having a STEMI, you may go to your local hospital, where they will initially treat you with blood thinning drugs. You will likely have an angiogram and PCI during your hospital admission, but it does not need to be done straight away. If you have any blockages, the hospital can treat these with stents to ensure adequate blood supply to the heart.
Sometimes, they cannot treat the artery blockages with stents. In this case, your team will discuss your options with you. One option is coronary artery bypass graft surgery (open heart surgery). The surgeons will use bits of blood vessels taken from the leg or the wall of the chest and “bypass” the blockages, ensuring that blood reaches the heart muscle
What happens after my heart attack?
Before you go home, the hospital will give you several new medications. You may need two different types to help keep the arteries open (anti-platelet drugs). The first, aspirin, will be life-long, and the other will be for up to a year. If you have a stent inserted, you must continue to take these medications every day for the full year. If you don’t, there is a chance that your stent could become blocked and cause even more damage to the heart.
You will also receive additional medication to take some pressure off the heart and help with its healing. To help the heart recover and strengthen, your hospital may recommend a structured “rehab programme”.
How can I prevent another heart attack?
Certain things can help prevent another heart attack. If you are a smoker, stopping smoking can dramatically reduce the risk. Taking your medications as prescribed can help, as can modifying your diet and lifestyle to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Exercise is also a great way to help prevent another heart attack.
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Get in touch or book an appointment to discuss how London Heart Clinic could help.
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After suffering from a heart condition for a number of years I was very happy to meet Dr Ahsan, from the first consultation where he believed there was a solution I have now completed the surgery and had my final consultation with him today…”
I am very grateful to have Dr Syed Ahsan as my consultant. Dr Ahsan always greets you warmly on each visit despite his busy workload. Dr Ahsan explains everything clearly and helps you to understand even the most complex medical terms…”