Signs of a heart attack in women

Myocardial infarction is a form of ischemic heart disease, in which a complete or partial circulatory failure develops in the area of ​​the heart muscle. There is a myocardial infarction, both in women and men, but the latter are almost twice as likely. Statistics call heart attacks one of the most common causes of death in developed countries around the world.

Causes of the disease

The most frequent cause of the development of a heart attack in women is atherosclerosis of the vessels. The main function of coronary vessels is the transfer of nutrients and oxygen to the muscle cells of the heart. In case of an infarction, one of these vessels is clogged with a thrombus, and the oxygen supply is sufficient for 10 seconds of functioning of the heart. After 30 minutes of lack of nutrition, irreversible changes in the heart cells begin and within a few hours the affected area is completely necrotic. Other reasons, less common are:

• Obturation due to surgical manipulations (angioplasty, artery ligation);
• embolization of the cardiac arteries with thrombosis, fat embolism, etc .;
• spasm of coronary vessels (with angina pectoris, etc.).

There are also risk factors that contribute to the emergence of signs of a heart attack in women, they include:

• age over 50;
• obesity;
• diabetes mellitus ;
• alcohol abuse;
• smoking;
• excess cholesterol in the blood;
• low physical activity;
• heart attacks in the past.

Infarction is characterized by a conditionally unfavorable prognosis of development and often leads to such a complication as heart failure of varying severity.

Symptoms of a heart attack in women

Symptoms of a condition are divided into 5 periods, following one after another:

1. The pre-infarction period can last from a couple of minutes to a couple of months and is manifested, in the main, by attacks of angina pectoris, that is, attacks of pain or discomfort after the sternum. Angina pectoris can be considered the first signs of an approaching heart attack, which will occur if the treatment is not started on time.
2. The next period is called the sharpest. It lasts the first few hours from the onset of myocardial infarction, sometimes longer. Most often it is manifested by severe pain behind the sternum, which grows and gives in the left arm, scapula, clavicle, jaw. Accompanied by attacks of fear and profuse sweat, palpitations and breathing, occasionally loss of consciousness.

There are also atypical forms of myocardial infarction, which are less common. Just such manifestations are more often observed in women. These include:

• abdominal pain (upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, symptoms similar to pancreatitis);
• asthmatic (dyspnea, pulmonary edema, symptoms similar to asthma);
• cerebral (dizziness, headache, visual impairment, impaired consciousness and other neurological symptoms).

The acute period lasts up to 10 days and at this time the scar begins to form on the necrosis site. Subacute period is up to 8 weeks of scar formation. And in the post-infarction period, the patient stabilizes.

Prevention of myocardial infarction

To prevent the development of a heart attack, it is worth taking measures already in young age. The methods of primary and secondary prevention include:

• compliance with regular physical activity;
• to give up smoking;
• decrease in the level of alcohol consumption;
• diet (less fatty animal food and salt, more fresh vegetables and fruits, fish);
• control of blood sugar (diabetes in risk factors);
• control of cholesterol in the blood;
• control of blood pressure (no higher than 140 per 90);
• medicamentous preparations for persons with angina or increased risks (aspirin, heparin).