Healthy Living

Heart is one of the most vital organs of the human body. A Heart Attack, or Myrocardial Infraction, refers to the permanent damage to the muscles of this organ, or the death of its tissues due to the lack of the supply of blood. No less than a million Americans suffer this condition every year, and about a 14 million have a history of heart attacks and angina. It is also one of the biggest causes of deaths in America.

We all are aware of the central function of the heart in providing blood supply and nutrition to each and every part of our body. But for doing so, and for constant and unfaltering muscle action, the heart itself requires an uninterrupted supply of energy, in the form of oxygen and nutrients through the coronary arteries. A blockage in the coronary arteries prevent the flow of blood containing oxygen and nutrients to the heart, thus causing a starvation of the heart muscle, known in the medical science as ischemia. The problem dawns to the patient in the form of severe discomfort in the chest known as angina. If the blockage is very severe, it could lead to a heart attack, or the death of some of the heart muscles.

When a person is having a heart attack, oxygen is provided to the patient via nose plugs or facemasks to help the patient breathe easily and to supply the necessary amount of oxygen in the blood.

The medical science of our times is fully able to treat a heart attack, and further better, to prevent one, or to reduce the frequency of heart attacks. A medication called Beta Blockers is used to reduce the pulse rate and to lower the blood pressure, thus reducing the stress on the heart. It can be given to the patient both through an intravenous line and orally.

Aspirin is effective in decreasing blood clotting, as it does not let platelets to stick together. Plavix (Clopidogrel) is also an effective platelet blocker prescribed to those suffering from a heart attack. Both of these medicines can be taken orally. Among the medicine that stop blood clotting by the means of an intravenous line, Heparin, Lovenox, and 2B3A are prominent. They can help the blockage situation from worsening. Nitroglycerine is a commonly used drug among patients of angina and heart diseases. It helps reduce chest pain, and can be taken in different ways. It comes in a pill, which is allowed to dissolve in the mouth when kept under the tongue. It also is available in the form of a paste to be applied externally to the chest, and could be supplied through an IV line. Morphine is also used to control chest discomfort, as well as for controlling anxiety.

Although these medicine do a very effective job in stabilizing a condition of blockage, but are not capable of removing one. For that purpose, Thrombolytics or Clot Buster medication is used. Medicines like T-PA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator) can remove a blockage and restore the flow of blood. The blockage can also be removed by the means of balloon angioplasty.

However, prevention is certainly better than cure, which the people undergoing through the agony of a heart attack will tell you. There are a few steps that you can take in order to minimize the chances of a heart attack. A minimum of five fruits or vegetable items should be a part of your daily diet, try working out for at least two and a half hours in a week, look after your body and maintain a healthy weight. You will be doing yourself a huge favor if you dont smoke, as that minimizes your chances of being prone to heart attack by 35%.

Research proves that people who maintain a healthy diet, a healthy weight, are physically active and do not smoke, are less liable to suffer a heart attack by 80%, no matter if they are in their 50s or 60s. The kind of lifestyle you want to have is certainly up to you, but everyone wants a healthy heart. It certainly is worth the trouble modifying your lifestyle to have one.