Heart Attacks
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States.
Everyday approximately 1,500 people die from heart attacks. Thousands more
suffer crippling effects of some form, and remain disabled for the rest of their
lives. A simple definition of a heart attack is a sudden failure of the heart
resulting from an occlusion or obstruction of a coronary artery. Basically,
this means the heart is no longer receiving the blood supply it needs to
function properly. A person having a heart attack experiences severe pain in
the chest extending to the left shoulder and arm. Heart attacks occur for a
variety of reasons. Diet, genetics, obesity, and lack of exercise are all
contributors to heart attacks. Smoking and stress are the most widespread
causes however, affecting 2.5 million people every year. Therefore, smoking and
stress are two major causes of heart attacks.
Smoking causes heart attacks. The tobacco in cigarettes and cigars contain
a chemical called nicotine. When inhaled into the lungs, nicotine causes the
release of hormones in the body. These hormones raise the blood pressure.
Consequently, a person's heart rate increases 15 to 25 beats per minute.
Nicotine also causes the blood vessels to contract. People who smoke have a
harder time keeping their hands and feet warm because their blood does not
circulate as well as it does in non-smokers. When the heart rate increases and
the blood vessels remain constricted for an extended p...
What is a Myocardial Infarction? Myocardial Infarction, also known as a heart attack, occurs when there is a blockage in one of the coronary arteries. The heart is a muscle that needs oxygenated blood and nutrients to survive. When a blockage occurs in the arteries, oxygen and nutrients are cut off from the heart for an extensive time. The blocked portion of tissue in heart dies. Blockages can occur due to several factors. Coronary artery disease is the most prevalent cause. Coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis is due to plaque buildup and narrowing in the artery walls. These plaques are made from cholesterol and waste products. This buildup on artery walls can restrict blood flow; a process that can take
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is the death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. Usually, the loss of blood supply is caused by a complete blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. A coronary artery is an artery that supplies blood to the heart muscle. Death of the heart muscle causes chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue. Electrical instability of the heart causes ventricular fibrillation (chaotic electrical disturbance). Orderly transmission of electrical signals in the heart is important for the regular beating (pumping) of the heart. A heart undergoing ventricular fibrillation quivers, and can not pump or deliver oxygenated blood to the brain. Permanent brain damage and death can occur unless oxygenated blood flow is restored within five minutes.
In December of 1992, my paternal grandfather suffered a heart attack. He had been hauling several 50 lb. sacks of corn up into the deer feeder on his property by himself. He got into his truck, turned the ignition, put it into drive and before he could take his foot off the brake, he was dead. He was 68 years old. I was thirteen and that seemed so old. I remember that prior to the event there were many conversations within my family about the condition of my grandfather’s heart and cardiovascular system and how he needed to make lifestyle changes. I remember him taking nitroglycerine pills. I remember him coming to Dallas to go to an appointment so that they could perform tests with names like “stress EKG.” I remember that these things meant little to me at the time.
Heart Disease You need your heart for all your body needs. It pumps about 2000 gallons of blood a day. It takes about 20 seconds for blood to reach every cell in the body. An artery that carries blood out of the heart.
One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. “Approximately every 29 seconds one American will have a heart attack, and once a minute one American will die from a heart attack” (Ford-Martin and Odle, 915). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55 are considered at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a major cause of death. It is beneficial to individuals who seek to prevent heart disease to recognize the risks leading to heart attacks as they are one of the primary indications of developing heart disease; especially those that fall into the at risk age groups. These risks consist of some that cannot be changed such as heredity risks, or those that can change such as smoking habits. It is very important to know these specific risks for prevention and to understand the symptoms of heart attacks, such as sweating or the feeling of weakness so if these or other symptoms occur people are aware. Finally heart disease treatment is of vital importance if you experience a heart attack so you can learn how to prevent another one from occurring.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. It is very important to learn about the heart to prevent heart disease. Many forms of heart disease can be prevented and treat with healthy lifestyle choices. For someone who has heart disease or does not; there is information, facts, symptoms, different types, diagnoses, tests, treatment, care, and living and managing that can be given.
Coronary Heart Disease Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease. It is a general term for both heart attack and angina. Many people suffer from it and 500,000 Americans die from it each year. It is much more common in older people and in males. However, women tend to be older and sicker when they are first treated for a heart attack.
Just as breast cancer is killing our African American women, heart disease is also one of the major diseases killing our women. Heart disease is one of the nation’s leading causes of death in both woman and men. About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States (Americas heart disease burden, 2013). Some facts about heart disease are every year about 935,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 610,000 are a first heart attack victim. 325,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack. Also coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and loss of productivity. Deaths of heart disease in the United States back in 2008 killed about 24.5% of African Americans.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. (social inequality, 2009). Heart disease is a structural or functional abnormality of the heart, or the blood vessel supplying the heart, that impairs its functioning. (free dictionary). Heart disease is also known as cardiovascular disease. Since there are many conditions related with heart disease. The most common types are coronary artery disease or damage in the heart’s major blood vessels, stroke or damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply, and high blood pressure or a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls in too high. These conditions may lead to a heart attack. (mayo).
Last March, an undefeated basketball squad faced a tragic loss, and unfortunately it was not the game. An undefeated season was on the line for the Fennvile Blackhawks, and the whole town was in attendance. The game went into overtime and Wes Leonard was ready for it. Seconds left in overtime, the score was tied again. It was the last play of the game, and Wes Leonard drove to the basket for a lay up, putting them up by two. Time expired and fans rushed the court looking for the hero that made that game winning basket. Seconds later that hero collapsed to the ground. Wes Leonard, a 16 year old healthy boy, died minutes after his dream, a game winning shot, of a cardiac arrest. ( Moisse Sec. 1 Par. 1-3)
Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Diseases under the heart disease umbrella include blood vessel diseases, heart rhythm problems, and heart defects. The major cause of this is a build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries. Plaque build-up thickens and stiffens the vessel walls, which can inhibit blood flow through the arteries to organs and tissues.
Sports related cardiac deaths are very sudden and most scientists don’t know why they occur, but researchers are conducting many studies to try to determine the exact cause. What happens when an athlete that is in the best of physical health suffers a sudden cardiac death? The sudden death leaves the community, team, and family shocked and devastated and looking for answers. There has been many studies done trying to determine why athletes suffer sudden cardiac arrest.
...use of death in America, in which all in part due to smoking cigarettes. The best way to keep your heart healthy is to eat well, get lots of exercise, and not smoke cigarettes. Our heart and its many functions all work together as one huge electrical system with h the four heart valves as the command center which leads the blood to support the rest of the body. If it was not for our heart and its important job, we would not be able to breathe or live. It is essential to keep it healthy. Our hearts are so important and I think sometimes, we take that for granted. Our four chambers is our life. The better you take care of it, the better it works. It is a very fascinating process and a very long process but it is important that we keep in mind how vital this fist-sized organ is to our bodies. The four chambers of our heart make up the foundation of our very existence.
Deaths have decreased over the past few years, but still many people die on a frequent basis of heart attack. Many victims of these diseases die even before they reach the hospital and many others die in the hospital. Conclusions After doing all my readings, I have reached the conclusion, that as many doctors say, the best way to avoid a heart attack is by taking the necessary precautions to prevent it. Regular check-ups, a balanced diet, and exercise can decrease the risk of suffering a heart attack or any type of disease. Many people survive, but others do not have the same luck and die.
...heart attack. Heart Disease can refer to an assortment of diseases affecting the heart. A heart attack happens when heart muscle is destroyed or hurt due to not getting enough oxygenated blood to maintain life. Different examples of Heart Disease include Cardiomyopathy, Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, and Ischemic Hear Disease.