What to do during a heart attack?

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes 11 seconds

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack, which occurs as a result of blockage of the coronary arteries that provide blood flow to the heart muscle, is a condition that requires urgent intervention. The blockage is usually caused by the accumulation of cholesterol plaques and narrowing of the vessel. During a heart attack, the narrowed heart muscle cannot receive enough oxygen, resulting in damage to the vessel. If a heart attack is not treated in time, there is a risk of permanent heart damage and death.

What are the Types of Heart Attack?

Heart attacks do not always occur in the same way. The condition of the blocked vessel, the extent of the damage during the crisis and the general health of the patient determine the type of crisis. Different types of heart attacks may show different symptoms and require different treatment approaches. For correct intervention, it is necessary to know what a heart attack is and its main types. We can list the types of heart attacks as follows:

• ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI): It is the most severe form of heart attack. In this form, one of the heart vessels is completely blocked, which causes the blood flow to stop. This type of heart attack requires urgent medical intervention.
• Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI): The coronary artery is not completely blocked, but a severe narrowing occurs. In the event of this type of heart attack, the heart muscle begins to be damaged. Early intervention is extremely important.
• Silent Heart Attack: It occurs without classic symptoms. The patient usually does not realise that he or she is having an attack and is diagnosed during a check-up for another condition.
• Microvascular Heart Attack: It occurs due to blockage of small vessels instead of large coronary vessels. This type of heart attack, which is more common in women, can be difficult to diagnose.

What are the Symptoms of Heart Attack?

Symptoms of heart attack may occur in different ways in each individual. Some people may have mild symptoms, while others may have a severe and sudden heart attack. Symptoms usually start in the chest area, but can also spread to different parts of the body. The most common symptoms are as follows:

• Chest pain: It is the most common symptom. It manifests itself as a feeling of pressure, squeezing, burning or pain in the centre or left side of the chest. The pain can sometimes radiate to the arm, back, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath: Breathing may become difficult when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen.
• Cold sweat and dizziness: The patient may experience sudden sweating and dizziness due to irregular blood flow.
• Nausea and Vomiting: These symptoms are especially common in women.
• Palpitations and Anxiety: The patient may suddenly feel severe anxiety and palpitations.

When these symptoms occur, emergency help should be called immediately.

What are the Causes of Heart Attack?

Heart attack usually occurs as a result of blockage of blood vessels. However, there are various factors that cause this blockage. These factors can increase the risk of crisis by directly affecting heart health. The main factors that can cause a heart attack are as follows:

• Atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis): It occurs when cholesterol and fat plaques accumulate on the vessel walls over time.
• Hypertension: High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and put too much strain on the heart.
• Smoking: Narrows the blood vessels and prevents oxygen delivery.
• Diabetes: High blood sugar levels lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries over time.
• Stress: Chronic stress negatively affects heart rhythm and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack.

The risk of heart attack can be reduced by controlling the problems caused by these factors with healthy lifestyle changes.

What are the Risk Factors for Heart Attack?

The risk of heart attack may vary depending on various factors such as lifestyle, genetic factors and health status. While some of the common risk factors can be intervened, others are beyond our control.

Modifiable Risk Factors:

• High cholesterol levels
• Smoking and alcohol use
• Obesity and unhealthy diet
• Lack of physical activity
• Inadequate stress management

Non-modifiable Risk Factors:

• Age (men over 45 and women over 55 are at greater risk)
• Family history of heart disease
• Genetic predisposition

What to do during a heart attack?

The right steps you take at the time of a heart attack can be vital for the patient. The first few minutes are very critical and it is necessary to act consciously. A person experiencing heart attack symptoms, or someone around them, should follow the steps below:

• Call 112 immediately: Remember that the patient needs urgent medical attention.
• Keep the patient calm: Stay calm and try to keep the patient calm too. Panicking can worsen the situation.
• Give painkillers or aspirin: It may be helpful to take aspirin if the doctor has prescribed it.
• Check breathing and consciousness: If the patient is not breathing, CPR can be administered.
• Rapid intervention can significantly reduce the risk of death.

What can be done to prevent heart attack?

A heart attack can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, people are becoming increasingly susceptible to heart disease due to very common factors such as poor diet, stress and lack of exercise. However, these risks can be greatly reduced by making a few lifestyle changes.

Things you can do to prevent a heart attack:

• Eat a balanced and healthy diet: To support your heart health, you should adopt a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and healthy fats.
• Exercise regularly: Moderate physical activity, no less than two and a half hours a week, will strengthen your heart vessels and reduce your risk of heart attack.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol: While smoking increases the risk of heart attack by narrowing the blood vessels, excessive alcohol consumption can also affect your heart health.
• Managing stress: Constant stress increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation or breathing exercises can help control stress.

Have regular health check-ups: It is important to monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This will increase your chances of preventing a possible heart attack with the measures you take.

How to Help Someone Having a Heart Attack?

Timely and correct intervention to someone having a heart attack can be life-saving. In such a situation, it is of great importance to act consciously and calmly.

Things to do to help someone having a heart attack:

• Call the first aid service (112) immediately: Without professional medical assistance, the intervention of the people with the patient may not be sufficient.
• Put the person in a comfortable position: Place the patient in a semi-sitting position and support their back. Ensure that the patient is comfortable.
• Loosen tight clothing: Unbutton tight clothing, such as shirt buttons, and loosen clothing, such as ties and belts, to make breathing easier.
• Give aspirin (if not allergic): Giving aspirin to patients without allergies may slow the progression of the obstruction as it will thin the blood.
• If he/she loses consciousness, perform CPR: Check pulse and breathing. If it stops, give artificial respiration and chest compressions.

Why does a heart attack occur at a young age?

Unfortunately, heart attacks, which are usually seen in older people, are becoming increasingly common in young people. The main reasons for this are genetic predisposition, unhealthy lifestyle, consumption of processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption and intense stress.

What should be the lifestyle changes after a heart attack?

The recovery process for people who have had a heart attack is not limited to medical treatment; it also requires radical lifestyle changes. Life after a heart attack involves making more conscious choices and adopting new habits to protect your heart health. These changes can both reduce the risk of having another heart attack and improve your overall health.

Diet should be changed

After a heart attack, it is vital to review eating habits and adopt a heart-friendly diet. The basic principles of a healthy diet are as follows:

• Eat more fruit and vegetables: Fibre-rich foods protect vascular health.
• Prefer whole grain foods: Consuming whole grain products instead of white flour balances blood sugar.
• Reducing red meat: Fish and vegetable protein sources should be preferred instead of red meat containing excess saturated fat.
• Limiting salt and sugar consumption: Excess salt increases blood pressure, while excessive sugar consumption can cause weight gain and insulin resistance.
• Consume healthy fats: Healthy fats such as olive oil, walnuts, almonds protect the elasticity of the vessels.

Regular Exercise

Adequate and regular physical activity that is not too strenuous is one of the most effective ways to improve heart health. However, it is much better to stick to your doctor’s recommendations than to start an exercise programme at random after a heart attack.

• Light brisk walks: Walking for 20-30 minutes a day is recommended as a start.
• Low-impact exercises such as swimming or cycling: Build up your stamina without putting too much strain on your heart.
• Avoid excessively intense exercises: High-impact exercises, such as weight lifting, should never be done without the knowledge and permission of your doctor.

Smoking and alcohol should be quit

Smoking greatly increases the risk of a second heart attack by narrowing the blood vessels. Alcohol consumption can lead to uncontrolled increases in blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms. For this reason, people who have had a heart attack should stop smoking completely and minimise alcohol consumption.

Stress Management Should Be Provided

Stress is a factor that directly affects heart health. If you are constantly experiencing stress as a result of work life or events you encounter in your daily life, this can increase your blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack. You can try the following methods to control stress:

• Meditation and breathing exercises
• Keeping busy with hobbies
• Receiving social support
• Spending time with your loved ones
• Seek professional support (consult a psychologist or therapist if necessary)

Establish a Sleep Pattern

Getting enough-good quality sleep is another golden rule for heart health. During sleep, the body repairs itself, and the heart rhythm is regulated.

• Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
• For better digestion and sleep quality, avoid eating heavy meals late at night.
• A regular sleep schedule helps to maintain the biorhythm.

Going to Regular Doctor Check-ups

People who have had a heart attack in the past should keep a closer eye on their health. It is particularly important to have regular cardiological check-ups and to continue taking the medication recommended by your doctor.

• Blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels should be measured regularly.
• If necessary, participating in cardiac rehabilitation programmes can help maintain heart health.

Changes in life after a heart attack are important not only to prevent a second heart attack but also to improve overall health. By adopting a new and healthier lifestyle, it is possible to live a healthier and longer life.

Is it useful to take aspirin during a heart attack?

Aspirin is one of the drugs that can be used as an emergency treatment for a heart attack. By thinning the blood, it can slow the progression of the blockage and increase blood flow to the heart. However, it may not be suitable for everyone.

Before using aspirin, it is important to check that the patient is not allergic to the drug or at risk of stomach bleeding.

Aspirin can be chewed or swallowed with water, depending on the situation, but the emergency services must be told when they arrive that the patient has been given aspirin.

Can a person who has had a heart attack continue to smoke?

Our answer to this question is absolutely no in bold letters! Smoking is already one of the biggest causes of heart attack and continuing to smoke after a heart attack is no different from inviting a second heart attack.

One of the most important changes that individuals who have had a heart attack can make in their lives to improve their health is to quit smoking completely. A doctor’s support can be sought in the fight against nicotine addiction and smoking cessation therapies or medications can be used.

Can Someone Who Has Had a Heart Attack Fast?

Whether or not someone who has had a heart attack can fast depends on their health and the advice of their doctor. The following points should be considered when deciding whether or not to fast, and the doctor’s advice should not be ignored:

• In cases requiring regular medication, delaying medication can cause significant problems.
• Prolonged fasting and dehydration can cause sudden drops in blood pressure or sugar levels.
• Fasting, especially in hot weather, can affect blood flow by dehydrating the body.
• If your doctor approves, you should make sure that you eat a balanced diet and drink enough fluids at sahur time.

People who have had a heart attack should discuss the decision to fast with their doctor.

Should a person who has had a heart attack get a flu shot?

Yes, it is recommended that individuals who have had a heart attack should get a flu vaccine. Since flu can weaken the body and create an extra risk for heart patients, flu vaccination is strongly recommended for people who have had a heart attack in the past.

• Influenza infection can trigger inflammation that can lead to a heart attack.
• High fever and infection can disrupt the heart rhythm and trigger an attack.
• In people with flu, the body needs more oxygen, which can put more strain on the heart.

It is possible to protect yourself from these and other flu-related health problems, as well as the possibility of a second heart attack, by getting a flu vaccination every year.