Tips for Heart Month: Cause and Treatment of Heart Attacks
5226
Disease & Illness > Heart Disease
Mar 1, 2007
Richard Helfant
Tips for Heart Month: Cause and Treatment of Heart Attacks
"Knowledge...should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily." - Margaret Mead
Like the other organs of the body, the hardworking heart requires oxygen and nutrients to function. This need is met by the coronary arteries, two small vessels on the outer surface of the heart muscle. The right coronary artery supplies the undersurface of the heart. The left artery runs for about an inch at the top of the heart before dividing into two main branches called the "left anterior descending," traveling to the front of the heart, and "circumflex" supplying the back of the heart. These three arteries (right, left anterior descending and circumflex) and their branches send smaller tributaries into the substance of the hart muscle to supply it with the oxygen and nutrients needed to contract and pump normally.
The coronary arteries are more susceptible than most other arteries to athererosclerosis (also known as arteriosclerosis), a buildup of cholesterol with the walls of the vessels. When severe, this buildup may obstruct the artery. Under resting conditions, the blood flowing through the diseased coronary artery may be sufficient to supply a specific area of heart muscle, but under more demanding conditions, such as exercise, when the heart is working harder and requires oxygen and nutrients, the obstruction may not allow sufficient blood through to meet the needs of the heart area it supplies. An imbalance of oxygen supply and demand (called "ischemia") is created. When this occurs, the afflicted individual often experiences symptoms of chest discomfort called "angina pectoris."
A diseased coronary artery can also become unstable, resulting in ulceration or total disruption of a cholesterol deposit. This often leads to major problems. An ulcerated or disrupted coronary artery is susceptible to blood clots forming on its exposed surface. When this occurs, the vessel can become completely occluded. As a result, the portion of heart muscle supplied by that artery becomes starved for vital oxygen and nutrients. If the occlusion persists for more than an hour, the affected muscle begins to die. This is usually accompanied by severe, persistent crushing pain over the center of the chest, the prime symptom of a heart attack.
When this symptom strikes, it is urgent to get to the nearest hospital emergency room-- immediately! Cardiologists can now thread a balloon catheter from the groin into the blocked area and open it up, salvaging precious heart muscle, which can substantially improve long-term prognosis. Remember: your heart is a remarkably resilient organ. It can suffer significant damage before impairment in function occurs. The outlook for patients with coronary atherosclerosis depends on the extent of heart muscle damage from a heart attack and on the extent of blockage in the coronary arteries. Reducing the initial damage, as well as taking the vital steps to reduce your risk factors for a second attack (i.e. lowering your cholesterol, normalizing blood pressure, supervised exercise, diet and weight reduction, reducing stress, etc.) are the keys to living a long and healthy life after suffering a heart attack.
Like the other organs of the body, the hardworking heart requires oxygen and nutrients to function. This need is met by the coronary arteries, two small vessels on the outer surface of the heart muscle. The right coronary artery supplies the undersurface of the heart. The left artery runs for about an inch at the top of the heart before dividing into two main branches called the "left anterior descending," traveling to the front of the heart, and "circumflex" supplying the back of the heart. These three arteries (right, left anterior descending and circumflex) and their branches send smaller tributaries into the substance of the hart muscle to supply it with the oxygen and nutrients needed to contract and pump normally.
The coronary arteries are more susceptible than most other arteries to athererosclerosis (also known as arteriosclerosis), a buildup of cholesterol with the walls of the vessels. When severe, this buildup may obstruct the artery. Under resting conditions, the blood flowing through the diseased coronary artery may be sufficient to supply a specific area of heart muscle, but under more demanding conditions, such as exercise, when the heart is working harder and requires oxygen and nutrients, the obstruction may not allow sufficient blood through to meet the needs of the heart area it supplies. An imbalance of oxygen supply and demand (called "ischemia") is created. When this occurs, the afflicted individual often experiences symptoms of chest discomfort called "angina pectoris."
A diseased coronary artery can also become unstable, resulting in ulceration or total disruption of a cholesterol deposit. This often leads to major problems. An ulcerated or disrupted coronary artery is susceptible to blood clots forming on its exposed surface. When this occurs, the vessel can become completely occluded. As a result, the portion of heart muscle supplied by that artery becomes starved for vital oxygen and nutrients. If the occlusion persists for more than an hour, the affected muscle begins to die. This is usually accompanied by severe, persistent crushing pain over the center of the chest, the prime symptom of a heart attack.
When this symptom strikes, it is urgent to get to the nearest hospital emergency room-- immediately! Cardiologists can now thread a balloon catheter from the groin into the blocked area and open it up, salvaging precious heart muscle, which can substantially improve long-term prognosis. Remember: your heart is a remarkably resilient organ. It can suffer significant damage before impairment in function occurs. The outlook for patients with coronary atherosclerosis depends on the extent of heart muscle damage from a heart attack and on the extent of blockage in the coronary arteries. Reducing the initial damage, as well as taking the vital steps to reduce your risk factors for a second attack (i.e. lowering your cholesterol, normalizing blood pressure, supervised exercise, diet and weight reduction, reducing stress, etc.) are the keys to living a long and healthy life after suffering a heart attack.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Richard Helfant, MD, is a Harvard-trained cardiologist and developer of cardiac technologies. His book Courageous Confrontations, is about how the mind-body relationship can prevent and help one recover from a heart attack.
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
Most women know that heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States--of men. Most women also realize the value of eating healthy food, exercising, and decreasing stress--for their families and loved ones. Information is abundant and readily
Category:
Knowledge...should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily." - Margaret Mead Like the other organs of the body, the hardworking heart requires oxygen and nutrients to function. This need is met by the coronary arteries, two small
Category:
Serious illness is mo than a crisis of the body; it is a crisis of the soul. Many patients act to a serious disease by becoming paralyzed by fear. Resistance quickly crumbles, and is followed by depssion and despair. Yet others marshal the inner
Category:
Oh, wondrous power! How little understood...to fashion genius, form the soul for good." -- Sarah J. Hale Your heart is a beautifully designed pump whose purpose is to deliver blood, together with life-giving oxygen and nutrients, to
Category:
Other links at Disease & Illness > Heart Disease
Knowledge...should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily." - Margaret Mead Like the other organs of the body, the hardworking heart requires oxygen and nutrients to function. This need is met by the coronary arteries, two small
Category:
Heart disease and stroke are often triggered by high cholesterol in the blood. Lowering your cholesterol for some is just a matter of changing your diet. Others may need to diet and the help of medications prescribed by their doctor. Either way,
Category:
There are many obvious reasons to take od care of you?re teeth and gums, for instance having white, attractive teeth, fresh breath, no cavities, less dental trips, gum disease, and gingivitis. However, researches have discovered recently that having
Category:
Oh, wondrous power! How little understood...to fashion genius, form the soul for good." -- Sarah J. Hale Your heart is a beautifully designed pump whose purpose is to deliver blood, together with life-giving oxygen and nutrients, to
Category:
Newspapers have reported on the drawbacks of having the diet high in fat. High fat diet has been linked to high cholesterol and ultimately to the heart attacks. Hence people have started avoiding beef and eggs. But cholesterol is not bad. Our body needs
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68228
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
