The first signs of a preinfarction and where to start treatment
Content
- 1. Forms of pre-infarction state
- 2. General symptoms of a pre-infarction state
- 3. What factors provoke preinfarction
- 4. Initial symptoms of a pre-infarction condition in a female
- 5. Pre-infarction condition in women
- 6. Initial symptoms of pre-infarction condition in males
- 7. Pre-infarction condition in men
- 8. First aid for pre-infarction condition
- 9. Prevention of pre-infarction condition
If a person has a pre-infarction condition, treatment begins immediately. Measures must be taken immediately, because such a condition not only causes inconvenience, but also leads to myocardial infarction. In a pre-infarction state, blood circulation through the coronary vessels stops, and a heart attack can occur at any time. In order to avoid such an outcome, it is necessary to go to the hospital at the first signs, and in order to notice them in time, it is worth knowing the symptoms of a pre-infarction state.
Forms of preinfarction state
Doctors refer to a pre-infarction condition as NSC (unstable angina). Such a diagnosis is characterized by the most serious period of exacerbation of cardiac ischemia.
Unstable angina is divided into several main forms:- Tense, arising for the first time. A person experiences pain of a pressing nature or discomfort in the chest area. In most cases, the focus of pain is located behind the chest, but pain extends to the left arm, neck, jaw and in the stomach.
- Progressive tension. If the patient has already had angina attacks before, then the disease will be considered progressive. Pain in this form lasts longer and has a brighter character.
- After shunting. Bypass surgery is performed to improve the circulation of the heart. Often, such an operation is necessary in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, and after surgery, characteristic angina pectoris may occur.
- Resting angina. This form appears after strong physical exertion. If a person experiences angina attacks after serious exertion, then we can talk about this form of the disease.
- Princemetal. In honor of this specialist, the form of angina pectoris is named, the description of which he compiled. With Prinzmetal's angina, spasms occur in the main coronary arteries. A person feels especially severe pain in the region of the heart, which mainly appears in the morning.
- Early postinfarction. The patient has pain in the left side after a heart attack. These post-infarction forms include seizures that occurred within a month after myocardial infarction.
Some angina attacks can be managed on your own. If after that the person's condition improves, then the intervention was successful, but if the symptoms only intensify, then medical assistance is needed.
General symptoms of a pre-infarction state
At the initial stage, the pre-infarction state is similar to the common cold. In this regard, many do not notice the problem until more noticeable symptoms appear.
About an hour before a heart attack, a person feels the following:- discomfort in the chest area;
- feeling of ache in the bones;
- weakness in the body;
- an increase or, conversely, a decrease in temperature.
The pre-infarction state differs depending on the sex of the person. It is noticed that the approach of a heart attack in a woman is more difficult to notice than in a man. Often, a female heart attack is determined after its final onset. It is also difficult to diagnose this condition in the elderly and diabetics, since their pain threshold is much higher than other people, and any discomfort goes unnoticed for a long time. In this regard, a person who has been feeling chest discomfort for a long time should seek qualified help, and diabetics and the elderly should be especially careful.
Before a heart attack, a person also feels pain on the left side of the sternum, it becomes difficult to breathe, the nasolabial triangle turns blue, the head is spinning, and even loss of consciousness is possible. If such symptoms appear, you should immediately call a doctor, because if a stroke is approaching, then you cannot do without medical help.
What factors provoke a pre-infarction
Myocardial infarction occurs in people with impaired functioning of the cardiovascular system. Problems are of a different nature, but a weak heart always keeps a person in suspense, because a sudden heart attack carries many dangers. To avoid such a diagnosis, the doctor gives certain recommendations, which should be avoided.
The following factors lead to a heart attack:- stressful situations and moral stress;
- excessive physical activity;
- severe hypothermia or overheating;
- physical exhaustion;
- abuse of alcohol and tobacco;
- addiction;
- diabetes;
- high cholesterol (cholesterol contributes to the appearance of plaques in the vessels);
- drug overdose;
- development of cardiac pathologies.
Initial symptoms of a pre-infarction condition in a female
The initial signs of a pre-infarction state appear long before the infarction itself, so its onset can be noticed in time and, accordingly, prevent or at least reduce possible damage. Unfortunately, the majority ignores the first manifestations of pathology, and as a result, a heart attack becomes a surprise.
The most noticeable signs of an impending heart attack are:- frequent bouts of sudden fatigue;
- at times there is pain in the sternum;
- frequent bouts of suffocation.
Because women perceive symptoms differently than men, the condition described often does not look like a typical pre-infarction. That is why the doctor asks women more carefully about the symptoms, fearing to miss the onset of a pre-infarction state.
In addition, in women, the severity of atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels is not as strongly reflected in the intensity of symptoms as in men, so mild precursors of a heart attack do not always indicate the safety of the current condition. In this regard, even with mild symptoms, a heart attack may already be on the threshold.
Having noticed the first symptoms, it would be right to contact a cardiologist as soon as possible. After listening to complaints, the doctor will be able to determine the pre-infarction condition with the help of competent diagnostics. For these purposes, it is enough to conduct electrocardiography, and after deciphering the results, it will be clear whether there is a threat of a heart attack and how serious the patient's condition is. If the preinfarction is confirmed, then the woman goes to the hospital, where doctors urgently try to normalize the condition of the heart.
Pre-infarction condition in women
The main sign of an approaching heart attack is heart pain. Such pain is manifested very strongly, and no medicine can get rid of it. Over time, the pain does not go away, and the number of such attacks only increases. Often the pains appear at night when the person is not tense. The consequences are the death of the heart muscles, and this will greatly slow down the recovery, in addition, in some cases, the pain spreads to the right side of the body.
Female preinfarction is accompanied by the following manifestations:- the woman is unable to take a deep breath;
- causeless fear and apprehension appears;
- there are pains in the shoulder joints;
- the woman has problems with coordination;
- the temperature of the hands and feet is much lower than usual;
- cold sweat on the skin.
Before a heart attack, women often feel weak and depressed, have difficulty sleeping, feel dizzy, and feel sick. The mood of a woman in a pre-infarction state also changes: excessive irritability and aggression appear.
Initial symptoms of pre-infarction condition in males
Male pre-infarction is characterized by more noticeable symptoms that are not as blurred as in women. Usually, a pre-infarction condition in men affects the entire body, so electrocardiography alone will not be enough. Long before a heart attack, unstable angina begins in men (in most cases, attacks occur at rest). The pain does not go away after taking medication, but over time it goes away on its own.
The first symptoms of a pre-infarction condition are:- a constant feeling of fatigue, from which you can’t get rid of even a good rest;
- insomnia, restless sleep;
- rapid and difficult breathing;
- sudden panic attacks;
- frequent headaches;
- visual acuity is greatly reduced;
- discomfort is constantly felt in the sternum;
- frequent bouts of nausea, sometimes reaching vomiting, heartburn;
- excessive pallor appears;
- cold sweat often appears on the skin.
If you try not to notice even small inconveniences, then a heart attack will be a complete surprise that cannot be prevented, and for which neither the patient nor the doctors have time to prepare.
Pre-infarction condition in men
Depending on the course of the disease, a man shows different symptoms. Myocardial infarction is a typical and atypical course. An atypical heart attack is more difficult to recognize, as it is hidden behind the symptoms of diseases of other body systems.
With a typical course, everything is much simpler, the main symptoms are the following manifestations:- Sharp severe pain all over the chest. Sometimes the pain goes to the left shoulder, left collarbone, neck, teeth. Pain in the ear or interscapular region is given.
- The nature of pain in the heart is unstable: they gradually increase and subside. Medicines do not help to get rid of discomfort, and in duration there are several hours or several days.
- The type of heart pain is different, and the intensity depends on the area of the damaged surface of the heart.
- Attacks of sudden panic and excessive excitement, and in some cases, on the contrary, difficulty breathing and loss of strength.
- Unstable blood pressure. The indicator jumps up, then unexpectedly drops.
- The heart rhythm is disturbed, the heart beats more often, accompanied by pain. It is impossible to get rid of the symptoms with the help of medicines.
- Cold sweat appears on the skin.
- The skin becomes painfully pale.
First aid for pre-infarction condition
As soon as a person notices the symptoms of a pre-infarction, he needs to call an ambulance. The patient needs urgent medical treatment, which will be provided to him in a hospital. Such therapy not only promotes recovery, but also helps the body quickly return to its previous state. At the first manifestations of such a dangerous disease, doctors are called to a person, and before their arrival, a number of measures are taken to help wait for qualified medical care.
First aid includes the following:- open a window so that the patient has access to fresh air;
- seat a person on a chair, after placing something soft under the head of the head;
- remove tight clothing, jewelry, belts from the patient, unbutton his shirt;
- give a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, change it every 5 minutes, but no more than three times;
- give a glass of water with a dissolved tablet of aspirin and plavix, make sure that the person drinks it (it will help thin the blood);
- if the ambulance travels for a long time, inject a person with baralgin or analgin (it will help reduce pain).
You can’t just ignore even minor symptoms of a pre-infarction. Having gone to the doctor in time, a person will not let minor problems develop into a myocardial infarction.
Even if it is not possible to prevent a heart attack, a timely visit to a doctor will help prepare for this phenomenon and recover after it as soon as possible. Also, relatives of a person who is at risk should know how to provide first aid to a patient.
Prevention of pre-infarction condition
Problems with the cardiovascular system impose many restrictions on a person. The patient should be constantly examined by a doctor and follow all his instructions. Staying in a risk group obliges a person to adhere to some recommendations that will help prevent a pre-infarction condition.
These measures include:- taking medications to normalize the work of the heart, prescribed by a doctor;
- constant checks of pressure and, if necessary, its normalization;
- healthy eating and cholesterol control;
- giving up alcohol, smoking and, of course, drugs;
- playing sports and maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
- compiling and observing a daily regimen, including a good sleep.
The doctor personally gives all these recommendations to the patient and, during subsequent examinations, is interested in their observance. Of course, the person himself decides whether to follow these tips or not, but neglecting these recommendations is fraught with serious health problems.