A heart attack also called a myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when not enough blood flow reaches the heart. “Myo” means muscle, “cardial” means heart, and “infarction “ means obstruction of blood causing tissue death. The most common cause is coronary artery disease (CAD). CADs caused by a buildup of a combination of cholesterol, calcium, fat and other substances (aka plaque).
Every year over 800,000 Americans has a heart attack. About 600,000 are having their first, the others are on their second or third.
To stay healthy, a senior’s heart needs blood flow. Without a constant supply of blood the heart muscle can become compromised. This blood supply is provided by the coronary arteries. If you have CAD, those arteries become obstructed and blood cannot flow as it should. This can cause a heart attack. Immediate treatment is required. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart muscle.
When Does A Heart Heal
The heart starts healing soon after the heart attack. It takes about eight to ten weeks and heals like a skin wound. A scar will form in the damaged area, but the new scar tissue does not contract. This lessens the heart’s pumping ability. The loss of pumping ability is determined by the size and location of the scar.
Symptoms
CarePlanIt’s Approach
CarePlanIt classifies every issue into one of five key areas: health, housing, finances, end-of-life chores & family communication. Once done, the CarePlanIt framework allows you to create an optimized process of addressing the challenge. You minimize your family’s time and costs while maximizing your chance at reaching an ideal solution. Although all five categories work together, it’s important to make an initial categorization.
A heart attack is a “Health” issue that is evaluated by the chronic or temporary effects of the heart attack. You might get better or return to full functionality after a heart attack, or you might have done severe damage to your heart that will forever impair your abilities. CarePlanIt’s classification of health issues can help you better understand the impact of a heart attack on your life. In short, both chronic and temporary effects of a heart attack need to be managed properly or devastating complications can arise. The senior, their spouse and the entire family need to understand these implications. Depending on the severity of the condition, staying at home may be challenging, even impossible.
We can help you navigate issues relating to the need for assisted living or nursing care. Review our Sections on Health and Housing.
Quick Ideas On Herat Attacks
Cardiologists want to keep your heart as healthy as possible. This is especially critical after a heart attack. The goal after your heart attack is to keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of having another heart attack. This means complying with your doctor’s prescriptions. They usually include medications, exercise, and diet. It is also critical that you see your doctor for regular heart checkups.
Preventing
Treatments
Additional Information About Heart Attacks
CDC information on heart attacks – click here
Information about heart attacks from the Mayo Clinic – click here
Cleveland Clinic information about heart attacks – click here