A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction. A heart attack occurs when blood flow gets blocked. The cause of blockage is usually due to fat, cholesterol and other stuff in the arteries in which case the heart needs to be treated urgently.
Asymptomatic heart conditions have risen up among middle aged people. Asymptomatic heart attacks medically known as Silent Myocardial Infarction (SMI). More middle aged men experience SMI than women. Sharp pain in chest, stabbing pain in the arms, sudden shortness of breath, sweating and dizziness are the primary signs of SMI. Most often these signs are ignored which may result in fatality later. Age, heredity, smoking and drinking, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, high BMI, etc. are the main contributors.
The relation between diabetes and sudden heart attack
Diabetes is one of the most prominent reasons to develop sudden heart attack. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disorder, with abnormalities in insulin resistance and secretion; these irregularities can affect various approaches involved in the development of macrovascular and microvascular diseases, conditions that can affect the risk of SCA. In type 2 diabetes, impaired tissue insulin sensitivity is a significant risk factor for sudden cardiac death. People with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) have the higher risk of sudden heart attack compared to non-diabetic people
Diagnosis & Treatment
To determine the main reason for sudden cardiac arrest, doctor may ask for the following –
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Blood tests
- Imaging tests
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram
- Nuclear scan
- Coronary catheterization
If someone suffers from sudden cardiac arrest, CPR is recommended. After determining the cause of the cardiac arrest, treatment may include –
- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
- Coronary angioplasty
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Radiofrequency catheter ablation
- Corrective heart surgery
Simple ways to prevent cardiac arrest
- Physical activities for at least half-an-hour most days of the week
- Healthy diet
- Reduce weight if BMI is high
- Quit smoking and drinking
- Reduce stress
- Regular check up
