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Recovering From A Heart Attack
Having a heart attack can be a frightening experience for you and for your family and close friends. It is likely that you will have lots of questions about what is happening to you as well as what you can and cannot do.
Having a heart attack is, in fact, quite common. How each person deals with it and what your individual recovery will be like varies a great deal.
Many people experience some difficulty concentrating and retaining information in the early stages after a heart attack, so don't worry if you can't take everything in.
Firstly, its important to know the truth – there is a lot of wrong information out there based on rumour rather than fact. Knowing the facts about what has happened will help you to feel less anxious and to relax.
- What is a heart attack?
- What does a heart attack feel like?
- What causes a heart attack?
- Facts about heart attacks
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack (also known as myocardial infarction or MI) happens when the blood supply to the heart becomes completely blocked, either by the formation of a blood clot or by a loose piece of atheroma.
This can result in damage to the part of the heart muscle which that particular coronary artery was supplying.
Sometimes, when chest pain occurs suddenly it is unclear if it is due to unstable angina or a heart attack. Until tests confirm the diagnosis doctors sometimes call this Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).
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What does a heart attack feel like?
The most common sign of a heart attack is chest pain. This type of chest pain often starts in the middle of your chest and may travel to your neck, jaw, ears, arms and wrists. Sometimes, it travels between the shoulder blades, back, or to the tummy area.
During a heart attack chest pain can be very severe or it can start off as a dull pain or ache. It's sometimes described as a heaviness, burning, tightness, constriction or squeezing sensation or as a heavy weight or pressure. For some people chest pain can feel similar to indigestion or heartburn.
Other symptoms which may indicate that you are having a heart attack include:
- Feeling / being sick
- Becoming sweaty and clammy
- Looking very grey and pale
- Feeling generally unwell and scared
- Restlessness / anxiety
- Breathlessness
- Coughing
- Heart beating very quickly
- Feeling dizzy
Some people do not have any chest pain during a heart attack: this is called a 'silent heart attack'.
Do not be afraid to call 999 if you have suspect that you might be having a heart attack.
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What causes a heart attack?
The build up of atheroma in the coronary arteries leads to coronary heart disease. There are a range of risk factors which have been proven to cause, or contribute to, coronary heart disease.
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Facts about heart attacks
- Most people survive heart attacks and make a good recovery.
- Your heart is one of the toughest muscles in your body – it is already healing itself.
- Your heart hasn't worn out – a heart attack is usually caused by a blockage in one small section of an artery.
- Stress, shocks or surprises do not cause a heart attack.
- It is normal to feel tired, weak and emotional after a heart attack: this will pass.
- Many of the causes of heart attacks are under your control – it is never too late to reduce your risk of another heart attack.
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