Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. The heart is positioned in the chest behind the sternum(breastbone); in front of the trachea, esophagus, and aorta and above the diaphragm. A normal heart is about the size of a closed first and weighs about 298 grams or 10.5 ounces. It is cone-shaped, with the point of the cone pointing down to the left. Two-thirds of the heart lies on the left side of the chest, with the balance in the right side of the chest. The heart is composed of specialized cardiac muscle, and it is four-chambered, with a right atrium and ventricle, and an anatomically separate left atrium and ventricle. The blood flows from the systemic veins into the right atrium, thence to the right ventricle, from which it is pumped to the lungs and then returned into the left atrium, thence to the left ventricle, from which it is driven into the systemic arteries. The heart is thus functionally composed of two hearts: the right heart and the left heart. The right heart consists of the right atrium, which receives deoxygenated blood from the body, and the right ventricle, which pumps the deoxygenated blood to the lungs under low pressure; and the left heart, which consists of the left atrium, which receives oxygenated blood from the lung, and the left ventricle, which pumps the oxygenated blood out to the body under high pressure.
What is a Heart attack?
When a coronary artery becomes blocked(usually by a blood clot), an area of heart tissues loses its blood supply. This reduction of blood can quickly damage or kill heart tissues, so quick treatment is an emergency department, and catheterization suit are necessary to reduce the loss of heart tissue. Loss of heart tissue due to blockage can cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and death.
Heart Attack Symptoms
The following are warning signs of a heart attack:
Chest pain (may spread to the back neck, arms, and jaw) Dizziness Nausea, vomiting Rapid or irregular heartbeat Shortness of breath Some people may exhibit anxiety, indigestion, and heartburn (some women may present with this as their predominant symptoms instead of chest pain) Weaknesses Lightheadedness Breaking out in a cold sweat Women may experience different heart attack signs and symptoms than men. Jaw pain, shortness of breath, and nausea and vomiting may be more common in women who have a heart attack than men.
Heart Attack Symptoms In Women
Although some women present with symptoms of chest pain, a large number of women will not present with chest pain. Instead, women commonly have a different set of heart attack symptoms.
Know These Heart Attack symptoms
Arrhythmias Cough Heartburn Loss of appetite Malaise
Heart Diseases Risks You can Control or Modify
Often, risk factors for heart disease can be managed or reduced through simple methods. Common risk factors for heart disease include the following :
Diabetes Elevated cholesterol High blood pressure Lack of physical activity Stop smoking. These risk factors can be reduced simply by making healthy lifestyle choices and taking medications. Your primary care doctor can help you with your choices and medications. Stress, being overweight or obese, and alcohol consumption are contributing to risk factors for heart diseases. Talk to your doctor about how to decrease your risk.
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