What can cause a heart attack. Other treatments. Standard Tests for Heart Failure

What is heart failure?

The term "heart failure" means that your heart muscle is not pumping as much blood as your body needs. Failure does not mean that your heart has stopped. This means that your heart is not pumping enough blood.

Since your heart cannot pump blood well enough, your body tries to compensate. For this:

Your body retains salt and fluid. This increases the amount of blood in your bloodstream.

Your heart is beating faster.

Your heart is increasing in size.

Your body has an amazing ability to compensate for heart failure. He can do this task so well that you won't even be aware of your illness. But at some point, your body will no longer be able to compensate for the deficiency. Your heart is wearing out. After this, fluid begins to accumulate in your body, and you will experience symptoms such as weakness and shortness of breath.

This accumulation of fluid is called congestion. Therefore, some doctors call the disease congestive heart failure.

Over time, heart failure worsens. But treatment can slow it down and help you feel better and live longer.

What causes heart failure?

Anything that damages your heart or interferes with its pumping ability can lead to heart failure. Its most common causes are:

Ischemic heart disease (CHD).

Heart attack.

high arterial pressure.

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What is heart failure?

A LITTLE THEORY: The heart is a hollow muscular organ that acts as a pump.

Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart does not pump blood well enough throughout the body. This means that blood does not deliver to required quantities oxygen and nutrients to various organs so that they function properly.

First, the body will try to learn how to compensate for the poor performance of a weakened heart. The heart begins to beat faster (tachycardia) to pump more blood throughout the body, expands (dilatation) - by stretching its walls to hold and expel more blood, the heart muscle becomes stronger and thicker (hypertrophy) - to help the heart pump more blood. The body will also try to increase the volume of circulating blood and redirect blood flow from the muscles to the brain and other vital organs. However, such changes can compensate for poor heart function only for a very limited period, and in the future, as a rule, this weakens the heart even more.

A patient with heart failure experiences shortness of breath during physical exertion or even at rest, shortness of breath or cough at night in horizontal position, swelling of the legs appears, appetite decreases, weight decreases or, conversely, increases, urination becomes more frequent at night. Often heart failure is accompanied depression, fatigue, increased fatigue, dizziness, palpitations.

How does a healthy heart work?

The heart is a muscular pump that pumps blood through the vessels. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, and also transports metabolic products to be "utilized" to some organs (primarily the lungs and kidneys).

The heart consists of two pumps working together. Blood coming from organs and tissues enters the right side of the heart, which then pumps it to the lungs. In the lungs, the blood is cleared of carbon dioxide and saturated with oxygen.

Blood from the lungs, saturated with oxygen, enters the left side of the heart, which pumps it to all parts of the body, including the tissue of the heart muscle itself.

Thanks to this process, the body always has enough oxygen and nutrients for efficient work.

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What happens in heart failure?

In heart failure, the heart has difficulty pumping blood around the body. This can happen for various reasons. Most often, failure results in myocardial damage (caused, for example, by coronary disease or heart attack) or overload on the heart, which is caused by high blood pressure.

Injury and overuse can adversely affect the contraction (contraction) of the heart, filling (relaxation) or both.

If the heart does not contract properly, it cannot pump enough blood out of the ventricles. If the heart cannot completely empty its blood volume and relax, then less blood is pumped into it the next time. Accordingly, an insufficient volume is also pushed out.

Here are the two main consequences of heart failure: first, the body does not receive enough blood, which can lead to general fatigue; secondly, the blood flow is delayed at the entrance to the heart. This causes fluid to "leak" from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues, resulting in fluid accumulation (usually in the legs and abdomen) and fluid retention in the lungs.

At first, the body adapts and tries to compensate for the weakened heart function. However, compensatory mechanisms operate for a limited time. In fact, in the long run, this adaptation further weakens the heart.

Click here. to learn how the heart and other organs adapt as they try to cope with your body's needs.

Classification of heart failure

Each patient with heart failure has its own characteristics. In this state, the most various symptoms and affects different parts of the heart. For this reason, your doctor may use different terms when describing your heart failure.

The two main types of heart failure are chronic and acute .

Chronic heart failure is more common, its symptoms appear slowly, their severity increases gradually.

Acute heart failure develops rapidly and is immediately manifested by severe symptoms. Acute heart failure occurs as a result of a heart attack that has caused damage to some area of ​​the heart, or in response to an acute inability of the body to compensate chronic insufficiency(this happens more often).

Acute heart failure in initial stages it can be difficult, but it is short-lived, and soon there is an improvement. Usually in this situation it is necessary emergency treatment and injection (intravenous) administration of medicines.

Heart failure symptoms

Symptoms of heart failure vary from patient to patient, primarily depending on the type of heart failure. You may have all of the symptoms described here, or only some of them.

On the early stages symptoms are unlikely. As heart failure progresses, symptoms are likely to come on and become more severe.

The main symptoms of heart failure are caused by the accumulation and stagnation of fluid, as well as insufficient blood supply to organs and tissues. This section is about the symptoms of heart failure and how you can help relieve them.

For more information use the links below.

Symptoms caused by accumulation and stagnation of fluid:

Symptoms associated with a decrease in blood flow in organs and tissues:

Other symptoms:

Except physical symptoms, some patients, experiencing the gravity of the situation, suffer from emotional disorders(anxiety, depression).

If you have any of these symptoms, remember to watch them closely every day. If you feel a new symptom or worsening of an old one, you should tell your doctor or nurse immediately. To find out exactly what to watch out for, click here.

Causes of heart failure

Cardiac disease can develop as a result of previous or current diseases that damage the myocardium or increase the workload on the heart. If you have had (or are currently suffering from) more than one of these conditions, your risk of heart failure increases significantly. Your doctor should tell you what could have caused the heart failure.

This section describes conditions that can lead to heart failure. For more information, simply click on the disease name.

The most common causes of heart failure:

In rare cases, with a sharp increase in activity, the heart may not be able to cope with the needs of the body, and symptoms of heart failure may develop in compensated patients.

Diseases that can lead to decompensation of heart failure:

At proper treatment these conditions, the symptoms of heart failure may become less pronounced.

Other diseases such as diabetes. may exacerbate symptoms of heart failure.

Often the symptoms of heart failure worsen if patients break the treatment regimen or stop taking medications. Click here. for tips on following your treatment plan and handling your medications.

In some patients who do not suffer from the diseases listed above, it is not possible to identify the cause of heart failure. If you don't know the cause of heart failure, ask your doctor about it.

Standard Tests for Heart Failure

If you suspect symptoms of heart failure, you should talk to your doctor (especially your primary care physician).

The doctor will conduct a thorough examination, ask about the symptoms of the disease, medical history and lifestyle. It is extremely important to answer all questions as honestly and in detail as possible. Only in this case, the doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.

If your doctor suspects that you have heart failure, you may need to undergo some tests. These tests will show if your heart is working well. If a problem is found, research will show what is causing it.

This section describes the tests that your doctor may prescribe for you (also includes examples of test results). For more information, click the title of the study.

Main researches:

Additional Research help detect heart failure and determine its cause.

Let's list them:

The symptoms of each patient are individual, depending on them, you may be assigned several of the studies listed above (but not all at once). All questions regarding research should be discussed with the attending physician.

How does the disease change over time?

Heart failure - chronic condition which tends to deteriorate over time. Sometimes it can shorten life expectancy.

The progression of heart failure is unpredictable and varies from person to person. In many cases, symptoms remain at a stable level for some time (months or years) before worsening. In some cases, the severity and symptoms of the disease worsen gradually. Or they can progress rapidly, which may be, for example, a consequence of a new heart attack, a violation heart rate or lung disease. Such acute conditions are usually treatable. Click here. to see how your doctor can assess the severity of heart failure to control the progression of your disease.

The main thing you need to understand is that careful management of your disease can both relieve symptoms and improve prognosis and prolong life. Your physician and other members of your medical team will work with you to provide effective treatment for your condition, combining medical treatments with changes in your lifestyle. Click here for information about how your doctor can treat heart failure. Otherwise click here. to find out how you can help improve your condition.

Myths and facts about heart failure

MYTH. "Heart failure" means that your heart has stopped beating.

FACT."Heart failure" does not mean that your heart has stopped beating. Heart failure happens when your heart muscle or valves are damaged and therefore your heart is unable to pump blood around your body the way it should.

MYTH. You can die from heart failure.

FACT. Heart failure is a very serious condition and can shorten your life. However, working with your doctor and nurse, you can get effective treatment and make lifestyle changes that will ease your symptoms and prolong your life.

MYTH. Heart failure is widespread.

MYTH. Heart failure is a normal consequence of aging.

FACT. Although many people with heart failure are older, heart failure is not an integral part of the aging process. This is a serious cardiovascular disease that can be prevented and significantly alleviated with the help of available treatments.

Diagnosed. What's next?

Heart failure is a chronic disease and therefore requires long-term treatment. Patients need to change their habitual lifestyle, monitor their diet, stop smoking and limit the use of alcoholic beverages to ensure maximum effectiveness of treatment.

Food

Limit your intake of salt, fat and alcohol.

When consuming insufficient calories or lacking sufficient exercise and reducing muscle mass going on a sharp decline weight - in this situation, a high-calorie and high-protein diet is necessary.

Sudden weight gain can occur due to fluid retention. For most patients with heart failure, the amount of fluid that can be drunk in one day is 1.5 to 2 liters (water, juices, ice cubes, coffee, milk, soup, tea, or fizzy drinks). To limit your fluid intake, drink from small cups instead of large mugs, spread your fluid intake evenly throughout the day, and try to drink very cold or very hot drinks - this takes longer. If you feel very thirsty, suck on an ice cube, limit your intake of caffeine and alcoholic beverages, use chewing gum or eat frozen fruit.

To reduce salt intake, first remove the salt shaker from the table, eat more fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, cereals and fish, and eliminate canned foods and fast food from the diet. Add herbs, spices or fruit juices (lemon/lime) for more flavor.

Alcohol can relax the heart muscle, slow down the heartbeat, and reduce blood pressure. While small amounts of alcohol may help prevent atherosclerotic heart disease, heavy drinking in the presence of heart disease can increase heart rate and blood pressure, and long-term abuse can cause cardiomyopathy. In general, it is recommended to drink no more than 1-2 servings of an alcoholic beverage per day (a serving is one glass of beer or wine or one cocktail with one type of alcohol). At serious symptoms It is recommended to completely abstain from alcohol.

To replace potassium lost when taking diuretics, it is recommended to include foods rich in potassium in the diet, such as bananas, oranges, prunes, soybeans, melons, fish (for example, halibut or flounder) and potatoes.

A large number of fatty foods can lead to high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood, and thereby contribute to the development of atherosclerotic heart disease, lead to myocardial infarction and heart failure, contribute to weight gain. Therefore, a healthy diet should include fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, and meat substitutes (such as soy). good habit, which is desirable to purchase is the reading of product labels, which allows you to find out what and in what quantity is contained in the products.

Foods high in saturated fat (such as those found in whole dairy products and red meat) should be avoided. Reducing the consumption of egg yolks and animal products in general will help reduce cholesterol levels.

Physical activity and exercise

Any moderate physical activity is good for most people with heart failure. Exercise can improve the functioning of the heart, reduce the workload, allowing it to work more efficiently. Before you start or change your exercise program, check with your doctor or nurse to make sure you don't push your heart too hard or too fast. Choose exercises that you enjoy, then you are more likely to do them regularly. Work out with friends to encourage each other. Always warm up before your workout. If it is cold and windy outside, warm up before leaving the house. Walking is a great exercise to start with. Try to walk every day, for example, get off one stop early. If you already walk regularly, try cycling or swimming. Start slowly and gradually increase the distance or intensity of exercise as your condition improves. Adopt a good rule of thumb: you must be able to talk during your workout. Stop exercising immediately if you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, nausea, or cold sweat. Do not exercise after dense reception food or on an empty stomach. Schedule workouts 1-2 hours after easy reception food. Exercises that require holding your breath, strong resistance, or sudden acceleration are best avoided.

Cigarette smoke renders pernicious influence the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Therefore, your heart must work harder to properly oxygenate your body. Smoking also contributes to the accumulation of fats in the blood vessels, causing them to constrict and increase blood pressure. Smoking leads to narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, including those of the heart. This aggravates the symptoms of heart failure. It's never too late to quit smoking, at any age it's good for the heart. There are many different ways to quit smoking:

1. USE NICOTINE PATCHES, chewing gum, and inhalers.
2. Quit smoking gradually by reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.
3. Brush your teeth after eating instead of lighting a cigarette.
4. Avoid places where smoking is not prohibited.
5. Keep your hands and mouth busy (for example, play with a paperclip or use chewing gum).
6. Become more active, exercise increases tone and helps to relax.
7. Don't empty the ashtray, you'll see how much you're smoking and smell the bad smoke.
8. Quit smoking with someone - this can be the key to success.

In order for you to visually see the benefits that you will receive by giving up cigarettes, we provide data American Society to combat cancer. Of course, the data may vary for different people - it all depends on health, "experience" of smoking and many other factors. But the fact remains that you begin to recover very quickly after putting out your last cigarette.

• Within 20 minutes after smoking the last cigarette, the pressure and pulse stabilize and return to normal. Blood circulation improves, the temperature of the limbs (hands and feet) returns to normal.
• Quitting smoking within 24 hours reduces your average chance of having a heart attack and increases your chances of surviving one if it does occur.
• The level of carbon monoxide in the blood finally returns to normal. Mucus and toxic foreign substances accumulated during the bad habit will begin to be removed from the lungs - it will become much easier to breathe. Nerve endings damaged by smoking will begin to recover.
• After 72 hours, the bronchioles will become less tense and the breathing process will be freer. The risk of thrombosis will decrease, blood clotting will return to normal.
• From 2 weeks to 3 months, the vital capacity of the lungs will increase by 30%.
• With the restoration of lung function, the risk of developing colds and infectious diseases will decrease.
• After a year without nicotine, the risk of heart disease is halved compared to smokers.
• After 2 years without cigarettes, the risk of myocardial infarction decreases to normal levels.
• 5 years after quitting a bad habit former smoker, whose share accounted for an average pack of cigarettes per day, halves the risk of dying from lung cancer. The risk of developing cancer of the mouth, throat or esophagus is also reduced by half compared to the average smoker.
• In about 10 years, you will have the same chance of dying from lung cancer as a non-smoker.
• After 15 years of smoking the last cigarette, the risk of heart disease is the same as that of a non-smoker.

Remember, the more other risk factors you have, such as obesity, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease, the more important it is for you to stop smoking. Remember that, unlike bad heredity, smoking is a factor that you can (and should) influence.

If heart failure is well controlled, you will have no trouble going on small trips. If you have a pacemaker, resynchronization device, or cardiac defibrillator implanted, it can be detected by security systems. You must notify the security personnel in advance of this. Security controls and airplane travel will not affect the operation of the device. Being in a sitting position, immobility for a long time in a cramped position in an airplane often leads to swelling of the ankles, and sometimes causes muscle spasms. Stretch regularly, exercise, walk around the cabin and while waiting at the airport. In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend wearing knee-length therapeutic stockings during the flight to prevent blood clots (deep vein thrombosis). It is very important to take all prescribed medicines with you on holiday in sufficient quantities for the entire stay plus 2 days in case of a flight delay/cancellation. On vacation, the daily routine can change a lot, so there is a possibility that you will miss the next dose of the medicine. You don't have to worry too much about this - try to accept it as soon as possible.

DO NOT DOUBLE THE DRUG OF ANY DRUG TO COVER A MISSED DOSE, AS THIS MAY BE MORE HARM THAN THE MISSED DOSE.

If you are traveling across multiple time zones, it is recommended that you take your medication upon arrival local time.

Relationships

Sex and heart failure

Many people with heart failure are not sure if they can have sex because of their condition and feel embarrassed to ask a doctor or nurse. The good news is that most people with heart failure can continue to enjoy sexual relations if the symptoms of the disease are controlled. You should not have sex if you feel unwell, short of breath, or have chest pain. If at any time you feel discomfort, shortness of breath or fatigue during intercourse, stop and rest for a short time. Stress, anxiety and depression are natural for people with heart failure and can cause a loss of interest in sex. Also remember that people with heart failure often have physical problems related to sex, such as erectile dysfunction (impotence), problems with ejaculation, or an inability to reach orgasm. You should seek advice from a doctor or nurse if you have any problems. There are many effective treatments available to most people with heart failure.

Medicines to treat heart failure

There is a large number medicines who may be assigned to you. All of these can help control your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Some of them can have side effects - but the benefits usually far outweigh the possible complications. If you find it difficult to take one of your medicines due to side effects, it is important to talk to your doctor instead of abruptly stopping the medication. Your doctor will be able to work with you to find the best option for you.

A person with heart failure does not need to take all the medicines recommended to treat the condition. Which medicines are right for you depends on your symptoms, general health, and lifestyle. Your doctor will take into account any other medical problems you may have that may affect your treatment. It is very important that you take your medicines exactly as your doctor tells you to, as this ensures that the medicine will work most effectively. You will most likely need to take more than one medicine at a time. Taking notes or making a schedule will help you keep track of your medications.

Click on any of the links below to learn about the different classes of heart failure medications.

Drugs that cause cardiac arrest

The second group includes any hypnotic, vascular and stimulant drugs that can have such a side effect on a diseased heart.

Why do drugs lead to cardiac arrest?

Medicines can have not only a positive effect on the human body, but also harm it, up to the onset of death. Especially often there is such a consequence as cardiac arrest, as a result of self-administration of medications, without taking into account their characteristics and side effects of drugs. So, drugs can lead to such a sad result in case of an overdose, as well as a violation of the process of removing decay products from the body.

Very often, cardiac arrest provokes the use of several drugs, in combination with each other or alcohol. Heart problems occur in men of mature age who abuse drugs that increase potency.

What drugs cause cardiac arrest?

All medicines stopping hearts are divided into potentially dangerous and probable. The first group includes the so-called glycosides, because of their strong influence on the electrolyte balance.

It is not recommended to take medicines, requiring careful dosage in the presence of any disorders in the functioning of the kidneys and liver, since, accumulating in the body, their active substances will cause oppression of cardiac activity.

The saddest thing is that cardiac arrest caused by medicines asystolic, which makes assistance and resuscitation almost useless. Even an innocent heartburn remedy, reminiscent of a mint, purchased without consulting a doctor, can provoke heart failure and lead to death.

Everyone should know that there are drugs that cause cardiac arrest. In this regard, experts do not advise self-medication. It is necessary to take drugs only after the approval of the attending physician. After all, even a simple analgesic taken to eliminate a headache can cause coma with subsequent cessation of cardiac activity if there was alcohol in the person’s blood.

Many patients do not even have an idea which drug causes cardiac arrest, neglect the doctor's recommendations, do not visit a medical institution and ignore appointments. They buy a popular drug with a well-advertised name in a pharmacy kiosk and hope to get a positive result. At the same time, they do not take into account at all that the wrong medication can provoke fatal consequences. Here is a list of which pills cause cardiac arrest:

• Muscle relaxants - reduce the tone of skeletal muscles, thereby reducing physical activity.
• Cardiac glycosides - have a cardiotonic and antiarrhythmic effect.
• Medicines containing potassium.
• Antibacterial drugs - overwhelmingly act against bacteria, affecting their vital processes.
• Heartburn tablets.
• Vitamin complexes.
• Psychotropic drugs - affect the central nervous system and change the mental state.

The use of incompatible drugs or taking them in the presence of alcohol in the body can trigger irreversible processes. To dangerous complications overdose, abuse and individual intolerance to one of the components of the drug are also given.

Cardiac glycosides and medicines containing potassium

It is worth noting that cardiac glycosides force the muscle tissue of the heart to contract much more strongly. This effect is similar to the release of adrenaline, the intake of caffeinated drinks or camphor. Such funds are prescribed to patients who suffer from heart failure. Due to the presence of adenosine triphosphatase in their composition, the process of saturating the body with calcium, sodium, and potassium is noticeably improved. Thanks to this, high-quality assimilation of creatine phosphate occurs, water-salt metabolism is restored.

Instant death when taking these drugs occurs due to an overdose. But they can be dangerous even at normal concentrations in the blood. With extreme caution, they should be taken in patients diagnosed with renal failure, hypokalemia, hypercalcemia and hypomagnesemia.

Potassium plays an important role in the mechanism of heart contractions. This microelement takes part in cellular metabolic processes and provides water-salt balance. The heart can stop temporarily or completely, either due to an excess of calcium or due to its lack.

Muscle relaxants and gastroenterological drugs

Carrying out major operations is not complete without general anesthesia. For this purpose, muscle relaxants can be used to reduce muscle tone. If the patient has an individual intolerance to one of the substances of the drug, he must provide this information to the anesthesiologist. Even a small dose of the injected muscle relaxant can cause anaphylaxis and instantaneous cardiac arrest (ventricular asystole). According to statistics, about 12% of patients survive.

These types of drugs should not be used if you have the following health problems:

• diseases of the respiratory system;
• heart pathology;
• vascular defects.

Against the background of these problems and the use of muscle relaxants, a person suddenly feels worse and has an increased heartbeat. Ultimately, this can result in cardiac arrest.

Antibiotics and vitamins

Means of this type cause instant cardiac arrest in those who suffer from allergies.

The risk group is represented by people who have diabetes mellitus, heart failure or angina pectoris.

Antibacterial drugs are used to treat diseases infectious nature. They are prescribed for pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis. But along with the therapeutic effect, they can cause serious harm to the body. Their powerful action primarily affects the heart muscle. In this regard, the risk of heart failure and heart rhythm disorders increases. Stopping the work of the main organ of the circulatory system is not excluded. As a rule, such consequences are inherent in drugs from the macrolide group.

As for vitamins, their intake also requires control by a doctor. Otherwise, health problems cannot be avoided. So, for example, the uncontrolled use of the Vikasol vitamin complex (vitamin K, which prevents internal bleeding) can lead to vascular thrombosis. But excess amount calcium in the body negatively affects the conduction system of the heart, which loses the ability to fully perform its main functions. You should not get carried away with vitamins and in the presence of mitral valve prolapse, because this can also cause cardiac arrest.

Psychotropic drugs

In this drug group tranquilizers, antidepressants and sedatives are listed. They are used to treat disorders nervous system. They are indicated for use by epileptics and patients with schizophrenia.

Tranquilizers depress emotions and reduce mental abilities. However, they cause contraction of the muscles of the face and heart. Tablets prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia initiate psychosis, which may be accompanied by an increase in blood pressure and the appearance of arrhythmias. In the presence of cardiac pathologies, this can cause cardiac arrest.

It can also be caused by exceeding the recommended dosage of the drug.

With an overdose of antidepressants, the following symptoms are noted:

• chills;
• seizures;
• body paralysis;
• immediate cessation of the heart.

Some medications can lead to suicidal thoughts. That is why you should take any drugs only after consulting a doctor.

Causes of death from medications

Due to medication, death occurs in 2% of cases. To prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to adhere to the prescriptions and prescriptions of a specialist. It should be understood that an overdose or combination different medicines can lead to dangerous consequences.

Overdose

Overdose symptoms are different. As a rule, they manifest themselves in the form of attacks of nausea, dizziness, convulsions. More serious conditions are accompanied by depression and respiratory arrest, hallucinations, visual disturbances, and cessation of the heart.

To neutralize the effect of the drug that causes cardiac arrest, you should try to provoke vomiting, but on the condition that the medicine was taken in the form of tablets. After that, you need to call an ambulance or independently deliver the patient to the toxicology department. It is advisable to have a package of medication that has been taken with you.

Child use

A particularly dangerous situation in terms of overdose in children. The following symptoms help to suspect the approaching cardiac arrest and promptly respond to it:

• loss of consciousness;
• cyanosis or pallor of the skin;
• rare breathing;
• lack of pulse;
• dilated pupils that do not respond to light.

Absence resuscitation leads to hypoxic changes in tissues and organs, followed by the so-called biological death.

To help a child at home, you need to act quickly (about 5 minutes left). First of all, it must be laid on the table, undressed, and foreign objects removed from the mouth.
After that, the fingertips exert pressure on the lower part of the sternum with a frequency of 120 shocks per minute. These manipulations are recommended to be carried out gently, but intensively. After 15 compressions have been made, proceed to the implementation artificial respiration 2 breaths into the mouth, and then into the nose. In parallel with the resuscitation, an ambulance is called.

Exacerbation of existing pathologies

It is highly undesirable to drink any medicines without the approval of a doctor, especially if there are serious health problems. Pills that cause cardiac arrest act very quickly. It is easiest to harm yourself, but not everyone succeeds in restoring the body's working capacity later. Therefore, you need to treat your health as responsibly as possible. The optimal drug therapy should be selected only after a series of studies.

Competent first aid for cardiac arrest

The algorithm of actions at home in case of respiratory and cardiac arrest is as follows:

• reaction check;
• heart massage;
• release respiratory tract;
• performing artificial respiration.

After calling an ambulance, specialists will carry out fibrillation and other necessary actions.

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What are these drugs that have such an extremely strong effect on the heart, and which people are at risk? Let's shed light on all the exciting questions.

1 Why does cardiac arrest occur?

Cardiac arrest or asystole is a condition in which the heart stops beating and pumping blood around the body. The heart simply fails. Clinical death occurs. In a larger percentage of cases (about 80-82%), ventricular fibrillation develops before a complete cardiac arrest. During fibrillation, the heart muscle, namely the lower chambers, does not contract rhythmically, but randomly, each muscle fiber works on its own. Contractions occur at a very high speed, weak, which leads to a violation of cardiac activity.

The heart becomes unable to pump blood around the body. And if at the time of ventricular fibrillation the patient is not given timely help, then soon there comes a complete stop of the activity of the heart. Asystole can develop without fibrillation, the mechanisms leading to the cessation of blood circulation may differ, but clinically manifest themselves in the same way. When the heart stops, the patient loses consciousness, pulse disappears, pressure disappears, breathing is disturbed / absent, pupils dilate, skin take on a gray tint.

The causes of cardiac arrest are most often severe, decompensated diseases of the heart and blood vessels (heart attacks, arrhythmias, heart failure, heart defects, ischemic heart disease, pulmonary embolism). There are also non-cardiac causes: shocks of various etiologies, trauma, sepsis, severe infectious diseases with damage to internal organs, an accident.

It should be noted that the cause of cardiac arrest even in healthy people the use of drugs of certain groups, especially uncontrolled, as well as in a dosage exceeding the permissible one, can serve. The risk group for asystole of drug etiology includes patients with chronic diseases(especially diseases of the circulatory system), suffering from atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, heart failure, having a history of strokes and heart attacks, people who abuse alcohol and drugs, the elderly.

What drugs can cause the main "motor" of the human body to stop and lead to its death?

2 Cardiac glycosides

A unique group of drugs, primarily because there are no synthetic analogues in the world. Medicines in this group are made from plant materials. Digitalis leaves, herb adonis, common jaundice, grass and flowers of May lily of the valley - these are all plant materials from which cardiac glycosides are extracted and medicines are made: digoxin, digitoxin, corglicon, celanid, cardiovalen and others. The drugs of this group have a strong effect on the heart by increasing the force of contraction, slowing down the frequency of contraction, improving metabolic processes in the heart muscle.

Cardiac glycosides act on cardiac cells as follows: they inhibit the work of a special enzyme that contributes to the accumulation of the Na ion inside the cell, and the K ion outside the heart cell. This leads to the fact that the release of Ca ions from the cell in exchange for Na ions slows down, and the concentration of Ca inside the cardiomyocyte increases. It should be noted that thanks to Ca ions, the interaction of intracellular contractile proteins is ensured, and contraction occurs.

Chronic heart failure

Thus, at the ionic level, an increase in contractile cardiac activity is ensured when taking cardiac glycosides. Indications for their use are chronic heart failure, acute heart failure, arrhythmias against the background of tachycardia. You should be very careful with the dosage of these drugs. Since an excessive dosage of cardiac glycosides can cause cardiac arrest due to an excessive decrease in heart rate, electrolyte disturbances.

With intoxication with cardiac glycosides, heart blockades, various rhythm disturbances often occur, the most dangerous of which is asystole.

In no case should you take drugs of this group on your own! This should be done only on the recommendation of a doctor if there are indications for their admission. The doctor also sets the dosage and dosage regimen! Remember that an independent increase in the dose of cardiac glycosides, a deviation from the regimen, or uncontrolled use of drugs in this group can cost you your life!

3 Potassium preparations

Panangin, asparkam… Advertising from TV screens obsessively invites everyone to run to the pharmacy and buy drugs for the heart containing potassium. At the same time, it promises that by taking these drugs, a person will forget about heart disease and gain good health. But are potassium preparations so harmless, and can they be taken uncontrollably?

Potassium is the most important ion, the concentration of which in the blood is strictly defined, and any deviations from it are fraught with complications, both from the side of the heart and from other organs and systems. The lack of this ion leads to arrhythmias and tachycardia, atony of the gastrointestinal tract, and a decrease in muscle tone. But an excess of potassium can cause ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest in diastole! An overdose of potassium preparations is also evidenced by vomiting, stomach cramps, liquid stool. Doctors strongly recommend that potassium supplements should not be taken without a biochemical blood test before taking.

It would be wise to do this: biochemical analysis blood, if according to the results of this analysis it turns out that the potassium levels are close to lower border norm or slightly below it, drugs of this group can be used and even necessary in dosages recommended by the doctor. Often a person, believing in advertisements or reviews of neighbors, uncontrollably, without knowing his level of potassium in the blood, begins to drink panangin or asparkam in excessive dosages and makes himself even more health problems. Taking medication must be strictly justified!

4 Drugs that reduce heart rate

These drugs include beta-blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, bisoprolol) and calcium antagonists (diltiazem, verapamil). Since these drugs, in addition to slowing down the heart rate, are also capable of lowering blood pressure, they are successfully used as directed by a doctor in the treatment of hypertension. These drugs have proven themselves well in the combination of hypertension and tachycardia. But people who have a heart rate of 60 beats per minute or less, as well as people with heart blockades or other forms of arrhythmias in combination with a slowdown in cardiac conduction, should not take these drugs! In such cases, they can provoke cardiac arrest.

5 Muscle relaxants

AT medical practice a group of drugs that have a muscle-relaxing effect are often used. These drugs help to relax the striated muscles, reduce muscle tone, pain syndrome with muscle pain. Certain drugs are actively used in anesthesiology, treatment of osteochondrosis, and cosmetology. Individual intolerance, an illiterate choice of a drug or an excess of its dose can threaten heart rhythm disturbances up to cardiac arrest.

6 Macrolides

Taking macrolides increases the risk of developing tachycardia and sudden death from cardiac arrest by almost 2 times.

Antibacterial drugs of this group are extremely common in the treatment of many diseases. Azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin have proven themselves in the domestic pharmaceutical market. But few people know that taking macrolides increases the risk of developing tachycardia and sudden death from cardiac arrest by almost 2 times. This should be taken into account by practitioners when frequently prescribing this group of antibiotics to patients suffering from heart disease, as well as to the elderly.

Ventricular fibrillation of the heart: symptoms, risk groups

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Heart attack

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to any part of the myocardium is not possible for a long time, as a result of which the heart muscle undergoes damage or dies completely. In scientific terms, this condition is called myocardial infarction.

Etiological factors

It is known that the development of a heart attack is associated with destabilization of the atherosclerotic process. That's why everything etiological factors atherosclerosis can also be considered as capable of provoking a heart attack.

Most often, the disease occurs as a result of thrombosis of the coronary vessels. This occurs in the area of ​​altered atherosclerotic plaque. Thrombosis is promoted by all factors that cause an increase in blood viscosity. These include: a pathological change in the lining of the vascular wall, the absence of the endothelium of the coronary vessel, spasm of the lumen of the vessel, impaired physiological functions platelets in the direction of activation of thrombus formation, the release of biologically active substances, which increase coagulation, cause vasospasm and increase blood viscosity. Less often, a heart attack occurs on the background of a long-term existing spasm coronary arteries.

A rather rare cause of a heart attack can be a sharp increase in the need of the heart muscle for oxygen in the absence of its sufficient supply through the coronary vessels due to a pronounced atherosclerotic process.

Usually cause a heart attack various factors risk:

• age of men over 45 years old, women over 55 years old;
• premature menopause in women;
• hereditary predisposition;
• prolonged nicotine intoxication;
• hypertonic disease;
• lipid metabolism disorder;
• diabetes;
• overweight;
• insufficient physical exercise;
• decreased thyroid function.

How more people has risk factors, the higher the risk of heart attack at a young age.

The disease can also be iatrogenic. There are medicines and poisons that cause a heart attack.

Clinical manifestations

There are several periods in the development of a heart attack: acute, acute and subacute.

The most acute period lasts about 3 hours. A characteristic symptom of a heart attack is the patient's pain. Intensity pain syndrome variable, but most often it is severe pain in the region of the heart, which is widespread. If the pathological process covers the back wall of the heart, then the pain can be localized in the epigastric region. Taking nitroglycerin does not give any effect, and the pain itself lasts more than 30 minutes.

In a small percentage of cases, a heart attack is painless. Other symptoms include: a sudden onset of weakness, syncope (fainting), a violation of the rhythm of cardiac activity (even ventricular fibrillation is possible). If the lesion affects a large area, it may develop cardiogenic shock or pulmonary edema.

The acute period lasts up to 10 days. At this time, a scar begins to form on the heart muscle. Pain syndrome, as a rule, is absent. Of the characteristic symptoms, the following can be noted: fever (due to the resorption of necrotic masses), various kinds of arrhythmias, pericarditis or endocarditis may form. The most common cause of death during this period is heart failure.

The subacute period lasts up to 4-8 weeks. At this time, the patient feels well. The risk of developing complications is reduced.

Symptoms of a heart attack in women and signs of a heart attack in men do not have significant differences.

Principles of diagnosis and treatment

A heart attack is characterized by a change laboratory indicators due to the presence inflammatory process and getting into the blood of various proteins from the focus of necrosis.

An electrocardiogram is important. This allows not only to confirm the very fact of the presence of the disease, but also to determine its localization and prevalence. pathological process.

characteristic of a heart attack high risk development of complications, some of which are incompatible with life. If the pathological process is non-penetrating, then the course of the disease is most often favorable.

The prognosis to date remains serious. A second heart attack is especially dangerous. Patients die from the development of such complications as arrhythmia, cardiogenic shock, myocardial rupture, chronic heart failure.

Therapy aims to preserve maximum number viable heart muscle, prevention and treatment of complications. If a disease is suspected, hospitalization is indicated in the intensive care unit, where assistance will be provided for a heart attack.

• pain relief (narcotic analgesics are administered);
• carrying out thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy (if the patient was hospitalized in the first 8 hours after the onset of an attack);
• the presence of nitrates in therapy is mandatory;
• the use of beta-blockers;
• antiplatelet therapy;
• when complications are attached, therapy is carried out aimed at normalizing the patient's condition (defibillation, atropine and pacing in case of conduction disturbance, arrhythmia therapy).

Dosed physical activity is prescribed already on the second day of hospitalization, provided there is no pain syndrome and complications. In hospitals, a 3-4 week rehabilitation of such patients is practiced.

A little about first aid for a heart attack:

• in the event of a heart attack, an ambulance should be called immediately;
• a person must be seated or laid with a raised headboard;
• remove all tight clothing to ensure free breathing;
• take one aspirin tablet and place a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue.

The sooner an ambulance arrives and the sooner first aid is provided for symptoms of a heart attack, the more favorable the prognosis for the patient.

Video on how to provide first aid for a heart attack:

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Carefully! Drugs that cause cardiac arrest

Any drug has a number of side effects, but those drugs that can provoke cardiac arrest should be treated with the greatest caution.

For this reason, it is not recommended to take medication before the examination and consultation with a doctor. Self-medication can be very dangerous and lead to the so-called clinical death (cardiac arrest for 4-5 minutes), after which irreversible changes occur in the body, leading to biological death.

cardiac glycosides

Cardiac glycosides are herbal preparations that normalize heart rate

Drugs in this group are used to improve the functioning of the heart. They increase the contraction of the heart muscle (myocardium), improve the blood supply to organs and tissues, and thereby relieve swelling.

Many plants are natural glycosides, for example, lily of the valley, adonis. Drugs that cause cardiac arrest include glycosides, as they directly affect the heart, increasing its activity.

Glycosides enhance metabolism. These are usually drugs plant origin but that doesn't make them safe. Overdose and the wrong combination of drugs can lead to cardiac arrest. However, the danger is not only an overdose. These drugs should be taken only after the examination, as for some people even small doses can be fatal.

The risk group includes people with large quantity calcium in the blood, with a lack of potassium and magnesium, renal failure, thyroid dysfunction, hypoxia.

Cardiac glycosides include the following drugs:

• Digitoxin. This drug significantly increases the force of heart contractions. It is prescribed for heart failure, chronic or acute. The drug tends to accumulate in the body, so the dosage must be strictly observed. The drug is taken orally. With indigestion, it is possible to use in the form of candles.
• Gomphotin. A cardiac glycoside of plant origin, obtained from the leaves of the harga. It increases the force of heart contractions but decreases the heart rate. It is prescribed, as a rule, for chronic heart failure, but is contraindicated in severe forms of cardiosclerosis.
• Strofantin. Quite a strong glycoside, which is prescribed for various forms heart failure, circulatory disorders, supraventricular tachycardia. It is not prescribed for acute myocardial infarction, thyrotoxicosis.

With an overdose of glycosides, tachycardia, dizziness, a state of delirium and the occurrence of hallucinations may occur. When these signs appear, you must urgently call an ambulance.

Preparations with potassium

Potassium is an essential trace element for the heart!

Potassium itself is important trace element necessary for normal functioning organism. Potassium affects heart contractions and normal work hearts. Cardiac arrest can be provoked by both a deficiency and an overabundance of this microelement. Therefore, its level in the body must be carefully monitored.

Potassium preparations must be taken with caution. At intravenous administration this substance is especially dangerous. The heart stops quickly and at the slightest overdose. Some countries use injections of pure potassium as the death penalty for especially dangerous criminals.

The greatest care should be taken when taking potassium-containing drugs for people with kidney failure, stomach ulcers and serious cardiovascular disorders.

In small amounts, potassium is harmless and beneficial.

Symptoms of an overdose are weakness in the arms and legs, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, weakness, loss of consciousness, then coma. Only a doctor can help in this case.

1. Asparkam. A preparation containing potassium and magnesium. It is prescribed for heart failure and coronary heart disease. In some cases, it helps to eliminate an overdose of cardiac glycosides. It is not prescribed for renal failure, excess potassium and magnesium in the body.
2. Orokamag. Contains potassium and magnesium. It is prescribed for angina pectoris and other heart diseases. Contraindications are serious illness kidneys, excess potassium and magnesium in the blood, dehydration, cirrhosis of the liver.
3. Panangin. This is the most popular and inexpensive drug, which is prescribed to the cores to normalize the work of the heart. It is often prescribed simultaneously with cardiac glycosides, as it smooths out side effects.
4. Kalinor. Potassium preparation, often prescribed for arrhythmias. With kidney disease, excess potassium and lactation, Kalinor is contraindicated.

A lack of potassium can also lead to cardiac arrest, because without potassium, glucose cannot be absorbed and the muscles do not receive energy.

Antibacterial drugs and vitamin complexes

Self-medication is a threat to the heart

Antibiotics are considered by many to be unsafe for various reasons, but people drink vitamins without fear. However, vitamins can be dangerous not only if you take 50 tablets at once. The systematic intake of vitamin complexes increases the level of calcium in the blood. If a person already had heart problems, then an excess of calcium can lead to cardiac arrest.

For the prevention of bleeding, Vikasol is also often used, which belongs to the orders of vitamins. But it can provoke the formation of blood clots. Antibiotics can cause cardiac arrest in the elderly, allergy sufferers, people with diabetes, severe heart failure, angina pectoris.

Useful video - The most unusual causes of cardiac arrest:

The most dangerous drugs for the heart are antibiotics from the macrolide group. They have a minimum of side effects for the intestines, but negatively affect the cardiovascular system:

• Azithromycin. Semi-synthetic antibiotic, which is often prescribed in the treatment bacterial infections upper respiratory tract. Side effects from of cardio-vascular system are considered rare (less than 1%), but if the patient is at risk, then the effect on the heart will be greater.
• Clarithromycin. The most popular antibiotic prescribed for various infections. It quickly copes with bacteria, respiratory diseases, but at the same time has a negative effect on the heart and blood vessels.
• Wilprafen. Antibiotic based on josamycin. A fairly strong macrolide, which is used to treat ENT organs and various bacterial infections. In contraindications, heart disease is not indicated, but it is not recommended to take it in case of heart failure.
• Klabaks. A drug based on clarithromycin. It is prescribed for otitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Not recommended for people with kidney or liver failure.

Macrolides are considered the least toxic antibiotics, as well as convenient to use. They need to be taken in 1 dose for 3-5 days. This is due to the fact that drugs long time circulate in the blood, retaining their effect, which extends to side effects.

Psychotropic drugs

Psychotropic drugs are taken only under medical supervision!

Psychotropic drugs are usually prescribed by a doctor, sold by prescription only, and are used to treat brain disorders. Psychotropic drugs inhibit mental activity, relieve anxiety and inhibit emotions. They can cause cardiac arrest when overdosed, taken with incompatible drugs or alcohol.

There are several groups of psychotropic drugs. They differ in composition and action. Some are dangerous even in small doses, others can lead to cardiac arrest only with a significant overdose (for example, sleeping pills).

1. Antipsychotics. This type of drug helps eliminate hallucinations and alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs are never prescribed without indications. They are available by prescription only and are reserved exclusively for people with severe forms of schizophrenia.
2. Antidepressants. Antidepressants fight depression, anxiety, phobias. They are always accepted as courses because they do not have instant effect. The maximum effect can be observed after about 2 weeks of use.
3. Tranquilizers. These drugs eliminate more severe symptoms, they can be attributed to strong antidepressants. They remove the feeling of fear, panic, anxiety.
4. Psychostimulants. These drugs do not slow down, but rather increase mental activity, increase efficiency, give a feeling of cheerfulness and reduce the need for sleep. The most accessible psychostimulant is caffeine.
5. Sedatives. These are sedative drugs of synthetic or herbal origin. In small doses, they are not dangerous. They have a general calming effect, normalize sleep.

These drugs have a number of side effects, such as causing uncontrolled and sudden muscle contractions. In case of overdose, fever, delirium, paralysis, and cardiac arrest occur.

Most of all I was frightened by preparations containing potassium. After all, many asparkam and panangin are prescribed by themselves. Even for preventive purposes, supposedly to support the heart muscle. And I, for example, recently drank a course to stop tormenting night cramps. Now this fact alerted me, I don’t even know if I will continue to buy these drugs for such purposes.

You really have to be very careful with drugs. I take them only when prescribed by a doctor and in the recommended dosages. It seems to me that in general it is necessary to take drugs only in the most necessary cases when you can't do without them.

If there are small children in the house, and big ones too, since some people have suicidal tendencies during the period of growing up, then such drugs not only need to be hidden, but children should not even know about them. Away from sin.

Cardiac patients need to know about these drugs, especially if there are concomitant diseases. Unfortunately, not always the doctor can know the individual patient's response to this type of drugs. And in general, if they have such dangerous properties, it would be better to replace them with safer analogues.

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What drugs cause cardiac arrest?

Among the thousands of names of medicines, there are also drugs that cause cardiac arrest. This is one of the reasons why doctors strongly object to self-medication, insisting that the purchase of the drug should be preceded by a consultation with a specialist. Surprisingly, even a seemingly innocent analgesic, often taken for a headache, can lead to a coma with subsequent cardiac arrest in the presence of alcohol in the blood.

Overview of Drugs Causing Cardiac Arrest

Stopping the heart is called clinical death. If then, within 5-10 minutes, the heart fails to start again, then the neurons of the brain will begin to die, which will already mean the final and irrevocable death of a person.

In medicine, drugs are often used that lead to cardiac arrest in the event of an overdose or with a cumulative effect if the liver or kidneys cannot cope with their withdrawal against the background of constant use. Physicians should be aware of the potential dangers of such drugs. Therefore, these drugs are prescribed according to clear indications, and for each patient an exact calculation is made of the dosage acceptable for him, which could only have a therapeutic effect, without side effects.

Sometimes, heart-stopping drugs only show these properties when interacting with other drugs that a person uses or with alcohol and drugs. The same narcotic drugs, which are used in large doses in purely medical purposes with unbearable pain, cause depression, which can result in complete cardiac arrest. Strong psychotropic, hypnotic and anticonvulsant drugs act similarly.

All drugs capable of causing cardiac arrest must either be used in medical hospitals or dispensed only on the basis of prescriptions for which strict record forms are used.

The following cardiac drugs that cause cardiac arrest can be dangerous:

• potassium preparations;
• drugs that relieve heartburn;
• cardiac glycosides;
• vitamins;
• antibiotics;
• muscle relaxants;
• psychotropic drugs.

cardiac glycosides

Cardiac glycosides are a group of drugs that activate contractions of the heart muscle. They act similarly to natural substances such as caffeine, adrenaline, camphor, etc. These are complex organic substances of plant origin that have a selective cardiotonic effect, therefore they are usually used in diseases of the heart, for example, in chronic or acute heart failure. Glycosides contain adenosine triphosphatase, which is responsible for the transfer of potassium, sodium and calcium ions, which is necessary for electrolyte and energy metabolic processes in the myocardium. In addition, ATP is necessary in the process of assimilation of creatine phosphate.

Such drugs are used in the form of solutions intended for intravenous administration, which must be carried out in a hospital with simultaneous ECG monitoring. With their help, the necessary therapeutic effect is achieved, and if maintenance therapy is required after that, the patient continues to take them, but already in tablets, not forgetting to regularly visit the attending physician, take a biochemical blood test and undergo an ECG study.

Not only an overdose of drugs, but even their normal blood levels can lead to cardiac arrest, although it should be recognized that it is overdoses that lead to cardiac arrest more often. For example, people suffering from oxygen starvation - hypoxia, hypercalcemia, hyperkalemia, renal failure, postinfarction cardiosclerosis, hypoproteinemia, hypomagnesemia, hypothyroidism are at risk. It can also lead to cardiac arrest joint application cardiac glycosides and some other medicines.

The danger of an overdose of cardiac glycosides lies in the fact that most often it causes fatal outcome. Therefore, if after taking such drugs headaches, heart rhythm disturbances, hallucinations and dizziness began to be observed, then you should immediately consult a doctor, since it is not possible to quickly withdraw the drug at home.

An overdose of cardiac glycosides can be detected no later than 2-3 days after the death of a person, after which they cease to be detected.

potassium is very important element involved in intracellular metabolism, regulation of heart rate, water and electrolyte balance, it normalizes osmotic pressure. Potassium is used to transmit nerve impulses between neurons.

Patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, stomach ulcers, before taking medicines containing potassium, you should definitely visit a doctor. Drugs that cause cardiac arrest should alert the following symptoms:

Both excess and deficiency of potassium in the body can lead to cardiac arrest. In the latter case, the metabolism of glucose with the release of energy becomes more difficult, as a result of which all the muscles of the body, including the myocardium, begin to experience energy hunger, stop contracting, which leads to cardiac arrest.

In a number of US states, instead of the electric chair for the death penalty, an injection of a "horse dose" of a potassium preparation is used, so it can be considered a recognized, albeit not very humane, drug for stopping a person's heart. A potassium preparation is injected into the vein of the sentenced person in an amount much higher than the lethal dose, as a result of which cardiac activity is gradually inhibited until cardiac arrest occurs.

Muscle relaxants

Muscle relaxants are drugs that reduce muscle tone. They are used in medicine for general anesthesia. In synapses, H-cholinergic receptors are blocked, due to which the transmission nerve impulses to the muscles of the skeleton, as well as to the myocardium, is blocked, which leads to cardiac arrest. In 90% of cases, an overdose of muscle relaxants ends in death due to cardiac arrest. Some people are allergic to such drugs, and when they are administered, they develop anaphylactic shock, resulting in cardiac arrest. In people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and pathologies of the respiratory system, with an overdose of muscle relaxants, tachycardia, arterial hypertension, or, conversely, bradycardia, which can result in cardiac arrest, occurs.

Gastroenterological preparations

Some gastroenterological medications used to treat heartburn can unexpectedly lead to sudden stop hearts. If you overdo it with taking such drugs, then their side effects may appear: violation of heart contractions, neurological pathologies, convulsions, cardiac arrest. Some mothers use these drugs during lactation, which cannot be done categorically - not knowing which drugs cause cardiac arrest, a mother can provoke it not only in herself, but also in her child.

Antibiotics

Taking antibiotics by people suffering from heart failure, angina pectoris, allergies and diabetes can lead to cardiac arrest. The elderly are also at risk.

The most dangerous drugs for cardiac arrest are erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and other drugs from the macrolide group.

As a result of studies conducted by Scottish scientists, clarithromycin, used in diseases of the lower respiratory tract, increases the likelihood of complications in the cardiovascular system, although this antibiotic has a general effect. Moreover, for a long time after the end of the course of antibiotics, the risk of such complications persists.

Vitamin complexes

Even vitamins, which are designed to strengthen the general condition of the body, can be dangerous if taken inappropriately. An excess of vitamins leads to systemic disorders in the body. For example, an excess of calcium adversely affects the activity of blood vessels and the heart.

Psychotropic drugs

Listing which drugs stop the heart, one cannot remain silent about psychotropic drugs. The psychotropic group includes substances that treat brain problems, they are divided into antidepressants, tranquilizers and sedatives. With their help, they treat, in particular, schizophrenia and epilepsy. Overdose similar drugs may well end in death from cardiac arrest. For example, tranquilizers, in addition to inhibiting thought processes and emotions, sometimes provoke a sudden contraction of the facial muscles and myocardium. Pills for schizophrenia can cause psychosis (akatasia), accompanied by the occurrence of arrhythmia and increased pressure. If such a patient has a cardiac pathology, then cardiac arrest is possible.

Sedative drugs

Sedatives or sleeping pills are only dangerous when overdosed.

Overdose of antidepressants may cause seizures, fever, paralysis, and cardiac arrest. Sometimes these drugs cause thoughts of suicide, so it is dangerous to take them uncontrollably, without consulting a specialist.

Other drugs

In addition to all of the above, cardiac drugs that cause cardiac arrest include anticholinergic, sympathomimetic, hypotensive and antiarrhythmic drugs, as well as drugs for anesthesia, used with severe overdose, can also lead to cardiac arrest. If the patient already has a cardiac pathology, then the risk of such a development of events increases dramatically.

Have you heard of drugs that can lead to cardiac arrest? Do you buy only those medicines that the doctor prescribes, or do you self-medicate? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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How to induce a heart attack

A heart attack is one of the most common causes of sudden death. Nobody is safe from it. Especially those people who have crossed a certain age limit. But, unfortunately, heart attacks are increasingly observed at a fairly young age. At the same time, the symptoms of a heart attack in women are somewhat different from the signs of pathology in men. They are more blurred and not expressed. And this leads to the fact that death rates in women from heart attacks are steadily increasing.

How to correctly recognize the first signs, symptoms of a heart attack? And what to do in this situation? How can you help yourself or a loved one?

What is a heart attack

Pathology often leads to death. But doctors say that if first aid is provided in a timely manner, and a team of doctors is called, then the patient can be saved. Most often, a fatal outcome is likely if urgent therapeutic measures could not be taken. In this case, death occurs as a result of extensive damage to the heart and complications that have arisen.

What happens in the body with this pathology? Symptoms of a heart attack in women appear if one of the arteries that feed the myocardium ceases to function fully. It does not deliver blood to the main organ in full. This leads to damage to part of the heart muscle. The tissues begin to die. The patient is in dire need of qualified assistance. Otherwise, death.

What can cause a heart attack? Symptoms in women occur against the background of a violation of the blood flow of blood vessels. Pathology can manifest itself as a result of a sudden spasm. Often an attack is provoked by an unexpected blockage of a vessel by cholesterol or a blood clot. Regardless of the factor that caused the pathology, there is only one reason for the death of heart tissue - a lack of oxygen.

Factors leading to a heart attack

There are many reasons that can trigger a heart attack. Symptoms in women in most cases are similar regardless of the source of the pathology.

The main provoking factors include:

• age (after 55 years, a woman enters the risk zone);
• hereditary factor;
• undergone surgery to remove the ovaries;
• period after menopause.

Additional sources of pathology

However, there are other causes that provoke a heart attack, which can be eliminated or nullified. negative impact on the body.

These factors are:

1. Smoking, addiction to alcohol, drug addiction. These factors are number one. Smokers are almost always diagnosed with heart disease. Alcohol intoxication worsens the situation several times. Often an acute attack occurs in a state of deep hangover.
2. Taking birth control pills. Sometimes such a factor leads to the appearance of pathology in women who have not even reached the age of 40.
3. High cholesterol. Vessels clogged with plaques experience serious overload. Of course, the heart does not receive enough blood. He has to work hard.
4. Obesity. Organs swollen with fat do not allow the myocardium to work at full strength. This is a fairly common cause leading to cardiac disorders.
5. Inactivity. As a rule, this factor is combined with obesity or overweight.
6. Hypertension. High pressure overloads the heart muscle and blood vessels.
7. Diabetes. This is a pathology that provokes many various violations in the body. Suffering from the disease and the cardiovascular system.
8. Inflammatory processes in the vessels. They provoke a rupture of the coronary artery. Inflammation causes an increase in reactive protein in the body. This pattern is observed most often in women. And what caused the increase in protein, doctors are not yet ready to say.
9. Hypothyroidism. The disease often becomes a source of heart disease. It can provoke an attack.
10. chronic stress. This condition is the cause of the development of most diseases in the body. First of all, stress negatively affects the work of the heart.

Classic signs

Let's look at what are the most common symptoms of a heart attack?

Pathology is characterized by the following main features:

1. There is pain in the chest area. This is the most characteristic symptom of an impending heart attack. But pain doesn't always happen. Some people feel discomfort, tightness, a certain pressure in the chest. In this case, pain is completely absent. Patients claim that it becomes difficult for them to breathe, there is a feeling, "as if someone stepped on their chest." Very often, people believe that a heart attack causes pain only in the sternum and unpleasant discomfort in the left arm. You should know that negative sensations can appear in any other parts of the body: in the shoulders, in the throat, in the upper part of the peritoneum, in the jaws, teeth, and back.
2. Strong sweating, perspiration. Notice when this symptom appears. Of particular concern is increased sweating in a person who is in a cool room, and not in the heat. Perspiration that appeared in the absence of physical activity can indicate problems. Strong sweating causes blockage of the arteries. The heart needs to work harder to pump enough blood. To maintain a normal temperature with an additional load, the body releases a large amount of sweat. If you encounter such a problem, be sure to consult your doctor.
3. Dyspnea. If such attacks occur after a small load (climbing a couple of floors, walking), you should consult a doctor. Very often shortness of breath is a symptom of heart disease. Especially if it is accompanied by severe fatigue and chest pain. Women are more likely to experience these symptoms. It is shortness of breath and fatigue that usually warn of an impending heart attack.

Additional symptoms

With a classic attack, often there are:

1. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Very often, disorders in the digestive tract appear before an attack. Indigestion, heartburn, nausea may occur. These symptoms are often combined with dizziness. However, do not forget that such symptoms can be inherent in a number of pathologies.
2. Numbness of fingers. Can only cover brushes. But sometimes the numbness extends to the shoulders and forearms.
3. Disrupted speech. A completely sober person begins to weave his tongue. Speech becomes slurred and incomprehensible.
4. Violation of motor coordination. The person loses control over the body. Most often this applies to the neck, shoulders, arms. This state is very reminiscent of alcohol intoxication. Especially if it is combined with slurred speech. That is why others do not always rush to help a person who is in such a state. This is very dangerous, because precious minutes are lost.

If you pay attention to the main symptoms of a heart attack listed above in a timely manner, then you can manage to save a person's life. Therefore, do not pass by a person who needs your help.

Features of seizures in women

Most often, people present a heart attack as a sudden, pronounced attack. If the pathology concerns the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity, then the situation is somewhat different. Symptoms of a heart attack in women are rarely pronounced. Most of the patients endure them without attaching any importance to them at all.

This is dictated by the fact that the signs of the disease in most cases are blurred. Therefore, women do not notice them and do not take them seriously. In addition, the symptoms are somewhat different from those that characterize an attack in men.

Alarms

Pay attention to what are the first symptoms of a heart attack in women:

1. Severe fatigue, almost unsettling.
2. Disturbed sleep, insomnia. This condition can be observed even after severe fatigue. These symptoms appear about a month before the attack.
3. Increased anxiety, agitation, feeling of stress.
4. Indigestion, the appearance of nausea with normal nutrition.
5. Weak, clammy, sweaty skin.
6. Difficulty breathing with normal exertion or climbing stairs.
7. The appearance of pain in the neck, face, jaw, ears. Discomfort can spread to the arms, shoulders. It resembles a state of stretching of muscle tissue.

How to help yourself?

If you observe the signs of a heart attack in women described above, do not expect the condition to worsen. The best solution is to consult a doctor and get qualified help.

Remember that the doctor must be informed about all the symptoms that appear. In addition, it is important to name the factors that can aggravate the condition ( genetic predisposition smoking, hypertension).

If you have an attack

What to do if you are caught off guard by a heart attack? Symptoms, first aid - these are the points that every person should know well. After all, minutes count.

First aid consists of the following activities:

1. Call the ambulance right away. Even if you do not know how to help yourself, the dispatcher will explain to you what to do before the arrival of the doctors.
2. Contact relatives who are able to come to you immediately if the attack began at the moment when you are alone.
3. Take an aspirin tablet (325 mg). The pill should be chewed for the fastest effect.
4. Take a nitroglycerin tablet. If a positive effect is not observed, you can use the medicine again. The third pill is allowed to drink only if the pain does not subside within 10 minutes after taking the second pill.
5. Try to remain calm. Panic and fear, characteristic of an attack, complicate the condition. Remember that help is on its way to you. You can focus on counting your heartbeat. It's calming.
6. Stay in a supine position, on your back. In this case, it is desirable to raise the legs higher, placing a pillow or other object under them. This will allow the diaphragm to open, and oxygen will be better supplied to the blood.
7. Take deep breaths and even exhales.
8. If possible, it is recommended to open a window to allow access fresh air.

What Not to Do

If symptoms of a heart attack are observed in women, it is not enough to know how to act in such a situation. It should be remembered that it is strictly contraindicated:

• get up or move around;
• smoke;
• get behind the wheel;
• use aspirin if there is intolerance to the drug or an exacerbation of gastritis, ulcers is diagnosed;
• take nitroglycerin if low pressure, headache, sharp pain, with impaired speech, coordination, vision;
• consume drinks or food.

Help for a loved one

What to do if something is wrong with a person in front of your eyes, and you suspect that he is having a heart attack?

Symptoms in women, treatment is often perceived by such persons as not serious. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that they will begin to refuse to call a doctor and protest against the need to take a horizontal position.

Your actions should be as quick and clear as possible:

1. Call an ambulance.
2. Lay the patient on a horizontal surface with any object under their feet. Make sure the patient does not get up.
3. Unfasten the collar, belt.
4. Provide fresh air by opening a window. Turn on the fan.
5. Try to calm and reassure the victim.

Be sure to follow all the steps above. And remember that the further life of this person depends on your actions.

What is a heart attack?

Heart attack - serious condition arising as a result of a problem with the blood supply after the obstruction of one of the cardiac arteries.

The consequences of this pathology are usually irreversible, which is why it is important to be able to distinguish this most dangerous condition in the first stages of its manifestation.

What can cause a heart attack?

As a rule, people who have any abnormalities in the cardiovascular system are prone to heart attacks, congenital pathologies or who have had complications after surgical interventions in this area.

A special risk group is the elderly.

Due to natural age-related changes towards aging, they are most often subject to heart attacks (men, according to statistics, suffer from heart attacks more often than women).

Other causes that can provoke the onset of a pathological condition: atherosclerosis, angina, abuse anabolic steroids(a very common cause in muscle building athletes), diabetes.

A sedentary, sedentary lifestyle, especially with an unhealthy diet, also increases the risk of getting a heart attack. The territorial location of a person's place of residence significantly affects the possibility of heart failure.

Hot, dry climate, dry periods adversely affect the pressure and cardiovascular system of people.

This is especially true for people of retirement age. They are encouraged, if possible, to move to more favorable areas for living.

Separately, it is worth highlighting the “voluntary” ways to earn a heart attack. These include extremely common bad habits in our time: drug addiction, alcohol addiction, smoking.

In smokers, cardiac abnormalities and seizures occur almost constantly. Alcohol abusers risk worsening existing heart problems, the harmful effects of alcohol poisons on the body.

Attacks after heavy drinking, especially in the heat, are found everywhere. Narcotic substances after taking, they have a depressing effect on the center responsible for the work of the heart and blood vessels.

The pulse slows down and blood pressure drops. As a result, there is a strong oxygen starvation, the heart muscle stops working properly.

Another group of drugs, on the contrary, raises the pressure.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how to recognize it?

In order to immediately take measures to save the life and health of the victim, it is important to be able to distinguish the signs of a heart attack from other abnormalities with similar symptoms.

It is noteworthy that men and women have different heart symptoms.

The main reason to determine an attack and urgently call an ambulance team is acute pain in the chest region. Drugs (nitroglycerin) do not relieve it.

A person is unable to carry out the respiratory process normally due to severe pain. The victim begins to experience oxygen starvation with signs of suffocation.

The danger is not pronounced symptoms, such as shortness of breath. It can occur in a person as being in calm state and after any physical activity. They may not pay attention to her, citing fatigue, overwork, "age".

Knock down taking drugs and forget about it. You can't do that. Any breathing problems, soreness in the chest area, burning sensations and other unusual phenomena should be the basis for a visit to the doctor and examination of your body.

In addition to the bright, alarming symptoms indicated above, there are others that are difficult to associate at first glance with the “heart”.

Vomiting and nausea begin. After vomiting, the patient does not experience the usual this case relief. On the contrary, the situation is only getting worse. Violations of brain activity (dizziness, panic attacks, fainting) are frequent companions of an impending heart attack.

It is worth paying attention to such seemingly harmless conditions as suddenly appeared night snoring and excessive sweating of the extremities.

Heart attack symptoms in women

Certain symptoms of heart failure in women are often less pronounced than in men. This leads to the fact that the mortality rate from this disease in women is higher than in men.

What do the first symptoms of impending trouble in women look like? What will be the differences from male manifestations? How to protect yourself, mom, grandmother?

For women, the main risk factors are:

1. age over 55 years;
2. poor heredity in humans;
3. the consequences of a difficult menopause;
4. surgical interventions to remove the internal reproductive organs;
5. severe hypertension.

Long-term use hormonal contraceptives can cause failure and harm the heart. Women under 40 are at risk.

Other reasons for the development of pathology: poor, monotonous nutrition, lack of heart-healthy products.

A large amount of fatty, cholesterol-containing food leads to blockage of blood vessels and the heart cannot be fully supplied with blood. excess fat on the internal organs does not allow the heart to function normally and causes wear and tear, overload.

Cardiac pathologies can begin with prolonged depressions and stress, which are common in the modern world.

What should be your first concern?

To the alarms it sends female body relate: great weakness, fatigue, literally knocking down. Then insomnia or nocturnal panic attacks portend a heart attack about a month before it occurs.

Another sure sign: when moving up or lifting something even with a small weight, shortness of breath and breathing failures begin. An occasion to seek help and if pain begins in the front and neck, left shoulder and arm.

Symptoms of a heart attack in men

Diseases associated with the cardiovascular system take the lives of men most often.

Who needs to be extremely careful?

Firstly, people over 50 years old, and secondly, those who have bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction).

Subject to a heart attack and men employed in jobs with a lot of stressful situations, in positions with a high mental level. Teachers, professors, theater actors, doctors are always under threat.

Men should always have routine medical check-ups (especially those suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes) and keep their nerves.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack in men?

With an unexpected acute pain in the chest, problems with inhaling air, you need to urgently call an ambulance. Nausea, sudden icy sweat and pain in the left hand should also alert.

Long-term symptoms include prolonged weakness, fatigue, and insomnia.

First aid will consist of calling doctors, and the dispatcher on the phone will tell you what you can take.

Heart attacks often occur without warning symptoms, and although it has long been documented that atherosclerosis (deposition of cholesterol in the arteries) is the most common cause of this phenomenon, there are a number of factors that contribute to this in people at risk.

Not so long ago, scientists from Belgium in the journal The Lancet published the results of studies that revealed a number of risk factors. These factors are especially dangerous for people with cardiovascular diseases:

City dwellers beware: traffic is a risk factor for 8 percent of heart attacks in those who are especially vulnerable, researchers say. This is especially true for drivers, passengers and even those who move around the city on a bicycle. Other studies that found a link between traffic and heart attacks were inconclusive because it wasn't entirely clear what was actually causing the problem: air pollution, the stress of moving in heavy traffic, or a combination of both. .

In any case, getting stuck in traffic jams is unfavorable for any person. If you have the opportunity to work from home, take advantage of it. Those who work from home are healthier, past studies have shown, even if they work longer hours. At home, you can better organize your workplace, relax more often, take breaks and experience less stress.

Physical activity causes heart attacks in 6 percent of cases. However, here we are talking not about those healthy physical activities that a person can get by playing sports. Researchers have found that people who lead a sedentary lifestyle almost constantly, and then abruptly begin to load themselves and perform very complex physical exercises, are in a dangerous position.

The best protection is to exercise for 150 minutes a week - that is, no more than 30 minutes daily. But if you move very little and then suddenly decide to clear meter-long snowdrifts near the house, you need to warm up properly before this and not start physically working early in the morning. Serious physical activity in the morning is stressful for your body, and the heart may not be able to withstand it.

The drinks you drink to cheer up or calm your nerves can be the cause of heart attacks in 5 percent of cases. Drinking too much alcohol can contribute to problems, but doctors aren't sure exactly how alcohol causes heart attacks. Several theories suggest that alcohol can increase inflammation and prevent the body from dissolving blood clots in the vessels.

It should be remembered that 1 glass of wine or an equivalent portion of other mild alcohol per day may, on the contrary, prevent heart problems due to the beneficial polyphenols found in wine and beer.

Coffee, on the other hand, works just the opposite. Most of the studies that have looked at coffee's association with heart attacks have found that people who drink less coffee are more likely to have heart attacks than those who drink a lot of coffee.

Smog, traffic fumes, as well as a lot of dust particles that transport emits - all these are quite serious, but invisible pests of health. Dirty air causes about 4.75 percent of heart attacks among vulnerable people. The authors of the studies say that although this is the lowest percentage in this case, nevertheless, this risk factor is one of the most serious, because no one can be protected from dirty air by living in a city.

It is for this reason that experts dealing with cardiology problems related to conditions environment, say that since it is almost impossible to protect yourself from dirty air, special attention should be paid to other risk factors that can be managed. For example, reduce stress, treat migraines if they occur, eat less red meat and salt, and follow the Mediterranean diet.

5. Good and bad mood

Strong emotions seem to contribute to heart disease, even if they are positive. Anger and negative emotions are, of course, more risky - about 7 percent of heart attacks are associated with them. Positive emotions are responsible for heart problems in 2.5 percent of cases. "Any strong emotion can cause stress," says Dr. Jeffrey Rossman.

All strong emotions increase the release of adrenaline, the heartbeat and the viscosity of the red blood cells, which together can lead to a heart attack. It is for this reason that negative emotions should be avoided and more positive emotions should be experienced.” Positive emotions generally result in a more balanced heart rate compared to negative ones. Irregular heart rhythm leads to heart attacks,” says Rossman.

What's more, he added that because we're trying to resist negative emotions, it produces more muscle tension than positive emotions, including tension in the muscles around blood vessels. Due to the fact that blood vessels are constricted by muscles, negative emotions are more likely to cause a stroke than positive emotions.

Among the cases of heart attacks, 2.2 percent are cases that were related to sex. Any activity in a horizontal position can increase blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn can lead to problems with the heart and blood vessels. Various studies that have examined the association of sex with heart attacks have shown that the risk is relatively low for healthy people, about 1 in a million. But if a person is already at risk for a heart attack, they should be careful. The good news is that regular exercise significantly reduces the risk of heart problems during and after sex, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. .

How do doctors call this pathology?

During a heart attack, one of the arteries that feed the heart stops supplying enough blood to the part of the heart muscle it serves. This leads to damage to a local area of ​​tissue of the heart muscle.

If treatment is not started immediately, the person may die; almost half of sudden deaths from a heart attack occur before the patient is taken to the hospital. Usually death occurs from extensive tissue damage or complications. The prognosis improves if action is taken immediately.

What causes an attack?

Most often, the cause lies in arteriosclerosis (hardening of the coronary arteries), when blood flow to the heart muscle decreases.

High blood pressure;

Obesity or a diet high in saturated fat, carbohydrates, and salt;

Passive lifestyle;

Drug use, especially cocaine;

A constitution.

Resuming sex life after a heart attack

After returning from the hospital, you should gradually return to physical activity. Most heart attack survivors can resume their sexual life after 3-4 weeks.

Sex is a moderate physical activity, comparable in terms of energy costs to brisk walking, however, in a state of emotional distress, it can put an additional strain on the heart.

What should be the environment during sex?

The environment should be familiar and calm, otherwise stress is possible. Pay attention to the temperature in the room - too high or too low create additional stress on the heart.

When to have sex?

Have sex when you are rested and relaxed. Best time for this, morning, after a good night's sleep.

When should you abstain from sex?

If you are tired or anxious, and after a large dose of alcohol, refrain from sex. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, and the heart has to work with greater load. You should not have sex after a heavy meal.

Choose a comfortable position

Try to take a position in which you would breathe freely and be comfortable.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Let your partner take the dominant role.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should take nitroglycerin before sex to prevent angina during or after sex.

Do not forget that an increase in heart rate and breathing is a completely normal thing during sex. But they should return to normal after 15 minutes. Call your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms after having sex:

Profuse sweating or palpitations lasting more than 15 minutes;

Shortness of breath or rapid pulse, observed for more than 15 minutes;

Chest pain that does not improve after taking two to three nitroglycerin tablets (taken 5 minutes apart) or at rest;

Sleepiness after sex or extreme tiredness the next day.

Men have more heart attacks than women, but there is a trend towards an increase in the number of women suffering from heart attacks; Among them, there are especially many smokers and users oral contraceptives(See RETURNING SEX AFTER A HEART ATTACK and THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.)

Road to recovery

Simply walking in a pattern can help you strengthen your heart and speed up your recovery from a heart attack. Be sure to warm up (warm up) before walking and gradually relieve (cool down) after walking.

Stretch your muscles, do stretching exercises, for example, for the calves and muscles of the shoulder girdle. To stretch your calf muscles, place both palms against the wall at about shoulder height. Take one foot step towards the wall and lean towards it, keeping your palms flat on the wall and keeping your feet on the floor. Push up against the wall until you feel tension in your legs.

To stretch the shoulder girdle, close your arms above your head and pull your shoulders back.

Week Warm-up Exercise Gradual transition to rest Total, min

1 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 3 min Vigorous walking 5 min Walking at a slow pace 3 min Stretching muscles 2 min 15

2 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 7 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 17

3 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 9 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 19

4 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 11 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 21

5 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 13 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 23

6 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 15 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 25

7 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 18 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 28

8 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 5 mins Vigorous walking 20 mins Slow walking 5 min Muscle stretching 2 min 34

9 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 23 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 37

10 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 26 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 40

11 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 28 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 42

12 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 5 mins Vigorous walking 30 mins Slow walking 5 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 44

What are the signs that a heart attack is approaching?

The main symptom is persistent long-term (12 hours or more) pressing pain in the chest, which can radiate to the left arm, jaw, neck or shoulder blades. Usually the patient describes the pain as intense, squeezing or pressing. But for some, particularly older people and those with diabetes, pain may not be present. In some cases, the pain may be weak; patients or their doctors mistake them for gastric. In people with hardening of the arteries, the signal of an approaching heart attack is the increase and intensification of chest pain, an increase in their duration, especially if the pain appears after exertion, rich food, stay in the cold or in the wind.

Some people have a fear of death, feeling tired, vomiting, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, perspiration, anxiety and restlessness before a heart attack. Finally, there are cases where there are no symptoms at all.

The most common complications after a heart attack are recurrent or constant pain in the chest; insufficiency of the main chamber of the heart (left ventricle), leading to heart failure and the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the lungs, deterioration of the pumping function of the heart, cardiogenic shock.

Shortly after a heart attack, some patients develop serious complications such as a blood clot in a vein, dysfunction heart valve, gap interventricular septum and rupture of the heart muscle, which can lead to death.

Even a few months after a heart attack, Dressler's syndrome (inflammation of the pericardial sac) may develop, in which the patient suffers from chest pain, fever, and in some cases the condition is complicated by pneumonia.

How is the diagnosis established?

A doctor diagnoses a heart attack by persistent chest pain, abnormal heart sounds, electrocardiogram data, and blood tests showing elevated heart enzymes for more than 72 hours.

MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE

What you need to know about heart rhythm disorders

Heart rhythm disturbances (cardiac arrhythmias) can manifest themselves in different ways: too frequent or too rare, uneven (at irregular intervals) heartbeats, or both. The reasons for the violation of the normal production of excitatory impulses of the heart are also different.

In the heart muscle there are conductive fibers that ensure the rapid movement of impulses through muscle cells. When the impulse conduction system is working properly, heartbeats are synchronous and occur at regular intervals. Violations in this system immediately affect the change in heart rhythms and their regularity.

Symptoms: Mild to threatening

Cardiac arrhythmias alter the pumping function of the heart, which can lead to a range of symptoms and complications, from palpitations, dizziness, fainting, to the development of threatening blood clots in a vein and even cardiac arrest.

For arrhythmias, medications that allow you to control the situation, as well as special procedures. Commonly used drugs include lanoxin, inderal, isoptin, cardioquin, and pronestyl. However, you should be aware that these drugs do not cure disorders, but only maintain the heart rhythm.

To normalize the heart rhythm, carotid sinus massage, the Valsalva method, an artificial pacemaker, electrical defibrillation of the heart, and surgical intervention are used.

Carotid sinus massage

The procedure consists in massaging the carotid sinus (the place where the common carotid artery branches) located on the side of the neck for several seconds, which helps to restore the heart rhythm. Patients are taught to massage themselves when an arrhythmia appears.

This method increases the pressure in the chest, as a result of which the heart rhythm is restored. In this case: the patient takes a deep breath and holds his breath for at least 10 seconds before exhaling the air.

Setting the pacemaker - pacemaker

A pacemaker may be placed in the heart. This device generates electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat and sets the heart rate. Usually, a temporary pacemaker is first installed for several days, and then a permanent one or by performing a surgical operation.

Electrical defibrillation of the heart

This is a method for correcting heart rate with electric current. The patient is first given sedative to make him fall asleep; then, an electric current pulse is applied to the heart through special plates placed on the chest. The procedure normalizes the heart rate and relieves symptoms.

If your heart rhythm problems cannot be corrected with medication or other conservative methods, your doctor may recommend the following surgeries: open heart(to correct structural defects), implantation of a permanent pacemaker, or insertion of an cardioverter-defibrillator. In the latter case, the surgeon sews two small overlays onto the surface of the heart, and then brings the thin wires attached to them under the skin into a pocket on the abdomen, where the device itself is placed. The cardioverter works automatically when the heart stops or its irregular work. The device delivers a pulse that restores a normal heart rhythm.

You had a heart attack. What should you do?

Follow all doctor's orders

Make sure you understand your doctor's instructions correctly and take your medications as directed.

Follow side effects medicines and tell your doctor if you find any. So, when taking lanoxin, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and xanthopsia (seeing objects in yellow light) are sometimes observed.

If you have chest pain, call your doctor.

Eat what is good for the heart

Make changes to your diet as recommended by your doctor. It is usually advised to reduce the intake of salt, fats and foods containing a lot of cholesterol.

Other useful changes

If you smoke, stop smoking.

Raise sexual activity gradually.

Join a rehabilitation program recommended by your doctor.

If the symptoms and examination results do not give a clear picture, the doctor should protect the patient by assuming that he is dealing with a heart attack. To confirm the diagnosis are used:

12-lead electrocardiogram, which may show characteristic pathology in the first few hours after a heart attack;

Echocardiography to detect abnormalities in the movement of the ventricular wall;

Scans can show significant damage to the heart muscle, which looks like a "hot spot" on film.

Treatment is aimed at relieving chest pain, stabilizing the heart rate, reducing the workload on the heart, restoring blood supply to the coronary arteries, and preserving heart muscle tissue. In the first 48 hours after a heart attack, irregular heart rhythms require special attention; medications or a pacemaker may be required. Sometimes for recovery normal rhythm an electrical impulse is given to the heart (see WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEART RHYTHMS).

To maintain heart muscle within 6 hours after the onset of symptoms of a heart attack, a doctor may prescribe thrombolytic agents that dissolve blood clots in the arteries (eg, streptokinase, alteplase, urokinase).

If narrowing of the coronary artery is causing heart attacks, subcutaneous coronary angioplasty is performed. In this case, the doctor inserts a thin balloon catheter with a contrast dye into the narrowed coronary artery. After finding the narrowing site, the doctor inflates the catheter balloon, which, expanding, opens the artery.

Other treatments

After a heart attack, some patients are prescribed:

Lidocaine - to normalize some types of cardiac arrhythmias;

Pronestyl, cardioquin, bretylin, or norpace;

Atropine or a temporary pacemaker if the intervals between heartbeats are too long;

Nitroglycerin, calcium channel blockers, or other drugs that relieve pain, redistribute blood flow so that more blood flows to areas of the heart muscle suffering from malnutrition, help the heart pump more blood and reduce the workload on it; heparin - to prevent the formation of blood clots;

Morphine - to relieve pain and provide a sedative effect;

medicines to improve the contractility of the heart or increase blood pressure;

Beta-blockers (eg, inderal nblocadren) are used after an acute heart attack to prevent another attack;

Aspirin - to prevent blood clots (no later than 24 hours after the onset of symptoms);

Bed rest (it is forbidden to get up even to the toilet) to give complete rest to the heart;

Oxygen (within 24-48 hours);

Pulmonary artery catheterization - to detect insufficiency of the left or right ventricles. The doctor passes a thin, hollow tube through the heart into the pulmonary artery to measure different pressures(See YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?)

Any drug has a number of side effects, but those drugs that can provoke cardiac arrest should be treated with the greatest caution.

For this reason, it is not recommended to take medication before the examination and consultation with a doctor. Self-medication can be very dangerous and lead to the so-called clinical death (cardiac arrest for 4-5 minutes), after which irreversible changes occur in the body, leading to biological death.

Drugs in this group are used to improve the functioning of the heart. They increase the contraction of the heart muscle (myocardium), improve the blood supply to organs and tissues, and thereby relieve swelling.

Many plants are natural glycosides, for example, lily of the valley, adonis. Drugs that cause cardiac arrest include glycosides, as they directly affect the heart, increasing its activity.

Glycosides enhance metabolism. Usually these are herbal preparations, but this does not make them safe. Overdose and the wrong combination of drugs can lead to cardiac arrest. However, the danger is not only an overdose. These drugs should be taken only after the examination, as for some people even small doses can be fatal.

The risk group includes people with a large amount of calcium in the blood, with a lack of potassium and magnesium, kidney failure, thyroid dysfunction, hypoxia.

Cardiac glycosides include the following drugs:

• Digitoxin. This drug significantly increases the force of heart contractions. It is prescribed for heart failure, chronic or acute. The drug tends to accumulate in the body, so the dosage must be strictly observed. The drug is taken orally. With indigestion, it is possible to use in the form of candles.
• Gomphotin. A cardiac glycoside of plant origin, obtained from the leaves of the harga. It increases the force of heart contractions but decreases the heart rate. It is prescribed, as a rule, for chronic heart failure, but is contraindicated in severe forms of cardiosclerosis.
• Strofantin. A fairly strong glycoside, which is prescribed for various forms of heart failure, circulatory disorders, supraventricular tachycardia. It is not prescribed for acute myocardial infarction, thyrotoxicosis.

With an overdose of glycosides, dizziness occurs, a state of delirium and the occurrence of hallucinations are possible. When these signs appear, you must urgently call an ambulance.

Preparations with potassium

Potassium itself is an important trace element necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Potassium affects heart contractions and the normal functioning of the heart. Cardiac arrest can be provoked by both a deficiency and an overabundance of this microelement. Therefore, its level in the body must be carefully monitored.

Potassium preparations must be taken with caution. When administered intravenously, this substance is especially dangerous. The heart stops quickly and at the slightest overdose. Some countries use injections of pure potassium as the death penalty for especially dangerous criminals.

The greatest care should be taken when taking potassium-containing drugs for people with kidney failure, stomach ulcers and serious cardiovascular disorders.

In small amounts, potassium is harmless and beneficial.

Symptoms of an overdose are weakness in the arms and legs, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, weakness, loss of consciousness, then coma. Only a doctor can help in this case.

Potassium supplements include:

1. Asparkam. A preparation containing potassium and magnesium. It is prescribed for heart failure and coronary heart disease. In some cases, it helps to eliminate an overdose of cardiac glycosides. It is not prescribed for renal failure, excess potassium and magnesium in the body.
2. Orokamag. Contains potassium and magnesium. It is prescribed for angina pectoris and other heart diseases. Contraindications are serious kidney disease, excess potassium and magnesium in the blood, dehydration, cirrhosis of the liver.
3. Panangin. This is the most popular and inexpensive drug that is prescribed to cores to normalize the work of the heart. It is often prescribed simultaneously with cardiac glycosides, as it smooths out side effects.
4. Kalinor. Potassium preparation, often prescribed for arrhythmias. With kidney disease, excess potassium and lactation, Kalinor is contraindicated.

A lack of potassium can also lead to cardiac arrest, because without potassium, glucose cannot be absorbed and the muscles do not receive energy.

Antibacterial drugs and vitamin complexes

Antibiotics are considered by many to be unsafe for various reasons, but people drink vitamins without fear. However, vitamins can be dangerous not only if you take 50 tablets at once. The systematic intake of vitamin complexes increases the level of calcium in the blood. If a person already had heart problems, then an excess of calcium can lead to cardiac arrest.

For the prevention of bleeding, Vikasol is also often used, which belongs to the orders of vitamins. But it can provoke the formation of blood clots.Antibiotics can cause cardiac arrest in the elderly, allergy sufferers, people with diabetes, severe heart failure, angina pectoris.

Useful video - The most unusual causes of cardiac arrest:

The most dangerous drugs for the heart are antibiotics from the macrolide group. They have a minimum of side effects for the intestines, but negatively affect the cardiovascular system:

• Azithromycin. A semi-synthetic antibiotic that is often prescribed in the treatment of bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract. Side effects from the cardiovascular system are considered rare (less than 1%), but if the patient is at risk, then the effect on the heart will be stronger.
• Clarithromycin. The most popular antibiotic prescribed for various infections. It quickly copes with bacteria, respiratory diseases, but at the same time has a negative effect on the heart and blood vessels.
• Wilprafen. Antibiotic based on josamycin. A fairly strong macrolide, which is used to treat ENT organs and various bacterial infections. In contraindications, heart disease is not indicated, but it is not recommended to take it in case of heart failure.
• Klabaks. A drug based on clarithromycin. It is prescribed for otitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Not recommended for people with kidney or liver failure.

Macrolides are considered the least toxic antibiotics, as well as convenient to use. They need to be taken in 1 dose for 3-5 days. This is due to the fact that the drugs circulate in the blood for a long time, retaining their effect, which also applies to side effects.

Psychotropic drugs

Psychotropic drugs are usually prescribed by a doctor, sold by prescription only, and are used to treat brain disorders. Psychotropic drugs inhibit mental activity, relieve anxiety and inhibit emotions. They can cause cardiac arrest when overdosed, taken with incompatible drugs or alcohol.

There are several groups of psychotropic drugs. They differ in composition and action. Some are dangerous even in small doses, others can lead to cardiac arrest only with a significant overdose (for example, sleeping pills).

Overview of drugs:

1. Antipsychotics. This type of drug helps eliminate hallucinations and alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs are never prescribed without indications. They are available by prescription only and are reserved exclusively for people with severe forms of schizophrenia.
2. Antidepressants. Antidepressants fight depression, anxiety, phobias. They are always taken in courses because they do not have an instant effect. The maximum effect can be observed after about 2 weeks of use.
3. Tranquilizers. These drugs eliminate more severe symptoms, they can be classified as strong antidepressants. They remove the feeling of fear, panic, anxiety.
4. Psychostimulants. These drugs do not slow down, but rather increase mental activity, increase efficiency, give a feeling of cheerfulness and reduce the need for sleep. The most accessible psychostimulant is caffeine.
5. Sedatives. These are sedative drugs of synthetic or herbal origin. In small doses, they are not dangerous. They have a general calming effect, normalize sleep.

These drugs have a number of side effects, such as causing uncontrolled and sudden muscle contractions. In case of overdose, fever, delirium, paralysis, and cardiac arrest occur.

Etiological factors

age of men over 45 years old, women over 55 years old; premature menopause in women; hereditary predisposition; prolonged nicotine intoxication; hypertonic disease; lipid metabolism disorder; diabetes; overweight; insufficient physical activity; decreased thyroid function.

Clinical manifestations

pain relief (narcotic analgesics are administered); carrying out thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy (if the patient was hospitalized in the first 8 hours after the onset of an attack); the presence of nitrates in therapy is mandatory; the use of beta-blockers; antiplatelet therapy; when complications are attached, therapy is carried out aimed at normalizing the patient's condition (defibillation, atropine and pacing in case of conduction disturbance, arrhythmia therapy).

in the event of a heart attack, an ambulance should be called immediately; a person must be seated or laid with a raised headboard; remove all tight clothing to ensure free breathing; take one aspirin tablet and place a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue.

Heart attack

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to any part of the myocardium is not possible for a long time, as a result of which the heart muscle undergoes damage or dies completely. In scientific terms, this condition is called myocardial infarction.

Etiological factors

It is known that the development of a heart attack is associated with destabilization of the atherosclerotic process. Therefore, all etiological factors of atherosclerosis can be considered as capable of provoking a heart attack.

Most often, the disease occurs as a result of thrombosis of the coronary vessels. This occurs in the area of ​​altered atherosclerotic plaque. Thrombosis is promoted by all factors that cause an increase in blood viscosity. These include: a pathological change in the lining of the vascular wall, the absence of the endothelium of the coronary vessel, spasm of the lumen of the vessel, a violation of the physiological functions of platelets towards the activation of thrombus formation, the release of biologically active substances that increase coagulation, cause vasospasm and increase blood viscosity. Less often, a heart attack occurs against the background of a long-term spasm of the coronary arteries.

A rather rare cause of a heart attack can be a sharp increase in the need of the heart muscle for oxygen in the absence of its sufficient supply through the coronary vessels due to a pronounced atherosclerotic process.

As a rule, various risk factors can cause a heart attack:

• age of men over 45 years old, women over 55 years old;
• premature menopause in women;
• hereditary predisposition;
• prolonged nicotine intoxication;
• hypertonic disease;
• lipid metabolism disorder;
• diabetes;
• overweight;
• insufficient physical activity;
• decreased thyroid function.

The more risk factors a person has, the higher the risk of heart attack at a young age.

The disease can also be iatrogenic. There are medicines and poisons that cause a heart attack.

Clinical manifestations

There are several periods in the development of a heart attack: acute, acute and subacute.

The most acute period lasts about 3 hours. A characteristic symptom of a heart attack is the patient's pain. The intensity of the pain syndrome is variable, but most often it is severe pain in the region of the heart, which is widespread. If the pathological process covers the back wall of the heart, then the pain can be localized in the epigastric region. Taking nitroglycerin does not give any effect, and the pain itself lasts more than 30 minutes.

In a small percentage of cases, a heart attack is painless. Other symptoms include: a sudden onset of weakness, syncope (fainting), a violation of the rhythm of cardiac activity (even ventricular fibrillation is possible). If the lesion affects a large area, then cardiogenic shock or pulmonary edema may develop.

The acute period lasts up to 10 days. At this time, a scar begins to form on the heart muscle. Pain syndrome, as a rule, is absent. Of the characteristic symptoms, the following can be noted: fever (due to the resorption of necrotic masses), various kinds of arrhythmias, pericarditis or endocarditis may form. The most common cause of death during this period is heart failure.

The subacute period lasts up to 4-8 weeks. At this time, the patient feels well. The risk of developing complications is reduced.

Symptoms of a heart attack in women and signs of a heart attack in men do not have significant differences.

Principles of diagnosis and treatment

A heart attack is characterized by a change in laboratory parameters due to the presence of an inflammatory process and the ingress of various proteins into the blood from the focus of necrosis.

An electrocardiogram is important. This allows not only to confirm the very fact of the presence of the disease, but also to determine its localization and the prevalence of the pathological process.

A heart attack is characterized by a high risk of complications, some of which are incompatible with life. If the pathological process is non-penetrating, then the course of the disease is most often favorable.

The prognosis to date remains serious. A second heart attack is especially dangerous. Patients die from the development of such complications as arrhythmia, cardiogenic shock, myocardial rupture, chronic heart failure.

The therapy is aimed at preserving the maximum amount of viable cardiac muscle, prevention and treatment of complications. If a disease is suspected, hospitalization is indicated in the intensive care unit, where assistance will be provided for a heart attack.

• pain relief (narcotic analgesics are administered);
• carrying out thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy (if the patient was hospitalized in the first 8 hours after the onset of an attack);
• the presence of nitrates in therapy is mandatory;
• the use of beta-blockers;
• antiplatelet therapy;
• when complications are attached, therapy is carried out aimed at normalizing the patient's condition (defibillation, atropine and pacing in case of conduction disturbance, arrhythmia therapy).

Dosed physical activity is prescribed already on the second day of hospitalization, provided there is no pain syndrome and complications. In hospitals, a 3-4 week rehabilitation of such patients is practiced.

A little about first aid for a heart attack:

• in the event of a heart attack, an ambulance should be called immediately;
• a person must be seated or laid with a raised headboard;
• remove all tight clothing to ensure free breathing;
• take one aspirin tablet and place a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue.

The sooner an ambulance arrives and the sooner first aid is provided for symptoms of a heart attack, the more favorable the prognosis for the patient.

Video on how to provide first aid for a heart attack:

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Scientists: Strong emotions can cause a heart attack

When a person received emotional pain because of parting with a loved one or his death, then there is such an expression as "suffering from a broken heart."

But today, for everyone, this expression was a metaphor for describing the feelings and stress that a person experienced. But now in medical practice such a thing as broken heart syndrome is actually being diagnosed. Only in this case, the physiological condition referred to as stress-induced cardiomyopathy is considered here.

Where did this name come from? The research was carried out by the doctor of medical sciences - Imran Arif. Thanks to ongoing research, it was found that a common cause of a heart attack is a tragedy in life.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy implies a pathological process that leads to a temporary impairment of performance. human motor. Symptoms of this disease are pain in the chest, felt like a heart attack.

Stress and depression can provoke such a pathology. In the event of an emotional outburst or bad news, a person's heart may stop. According to Dr. Arifa, broken heart syndrome can cause the motor muscle to react to a surge of stress hormones.

Based on research conducted by doctors at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, a heart attack is diagnosed the day after a patient has lost a loved one.

During this period, there is a sharp jump in blood pressure. In this case, a jump can occur even in those patients who have not previously experienced special problems with heart. The data obtained during the ongoing study were later published in the journal Circulation.

Scientists do not claim that a stressful situation will 100% cause a heart attack. As a rule, during this period a person should feel such signs as discomfort in the sternum, nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweat, pain in the stomach, dizziness.

If you find yourself with such symptoms, you should immediately contact an ambulance. And in this case, it does not matter at all what causes contributed to the development of the pathological process, it is important to prevent cardiac arrest in time.

What drugs can cause cardiac arrest?

Everyone should know that there are drugs that cause cardiac arrest. In this regard, experts do not advise self-medication. It is necessary to take drugs only after the approval of the attending physician. After all, even a simple analgesic taken to eliminate a headache can cause coma with subsequent cessation of cardiac activity if there was alcohol in the person’s blood.

Drugs that can cause cardiac arrest

Many patients do not even have an idea which drug causes cardiac arrest, neglect the doctor's recommendations, do not visit a medical institution and ignore appointments. They buy a popular drug with a well-advertised name in a pharmacy kiosk and hope to get a positive result. At the same time, they do not take into account at all that the wrong medication can provoke fatal consequences. Here is a list of which pills cause cardiac arrest:

• Muscle relaxants - reduce the tone of skeletal muscles, thereby reducing physical activity.
• Cardiac glycosides - have a cardiotonic and antiarrhythmic effect.
• Medicines containing potassium.
• Antibacterial drugs - overwhelmingly act against bacteria, affecting their vital processes.
• Heartburn tablets.
• Vitamin complexes.
• Psychotropic drugs - affect the central nervous system and change the mental state.

The use of incompatible drugs or taking them in the presence of alcohol in the body can trigger irreversible processes. Overdose, abuse and individual intolerance to one of the components of the drug also lead to dangerous complications.

Cardiac glycosides and medicines containing potassium

It is worth noting that cardiac glycosides force the muscle tissue of the heart to contract much more strongly. This effect is similar to the release of adrenaline, the intake of caffeinated drinks or camphor. Such funds are prescribed to patients who suffer from heart failure. Due to the presence of adenosine triphosphatase in their composition, the process of saturating the body with calcium, sodium, and potassium is noticeably improved. Thanks to this, high-quality assimilation of creatine phosphate occurs, water-salt metabolism is restored.

Instant death when taking these drugs occurs due to an overdose. But they can be dangerous even at normal concentrations in the blood. With extreme caution, they should be taken in patients diagnosed with renal failure, hypokalemia, hypercalcemia and hypomagnesemia.

Potassium plays an important role in the mechanism of heart contractions. This microelement takes part in cellular metabolic processes and ensures the water-salt balance. The heart can stop temporarily or completely, either due to an excess of calcium or due to its lack.

Muscle relaxants and gastroenterological drugs

Carrying out major operations is not complete without general anesthesia. For this purpose, muscle relaxants can be used to reduce muscle tone. If the patient has an individual intolerance to one of the substances of the drug, he must provide this information to the anesthesiologist. Even a small dose of the injected muscle relaxant can cause anaphylaxis and instantaneous cardiac arrest (ventricular asystole). According to statistics, about 12% of patients survive.

These types of drugs should not be used if you have the following health problems:

• diseases of the respiratory system;
• heart pathology;
• vascular defects.

Against the background of these problems and the use of muscle relaxants, a person suddenly feels worse and has an increased heartbeat. Ultimately, this can result in cardiac arrest.

Antibiotics and vitamins

Means of this type cause instant cardiac arrest in those who suffer from allergies.

The risk group is represented by people who have diabetes mellitus, heart failure or angina pectoris.

Antibacterial drugs are used to treat infectious diseases. They are prescribed for pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis. But along with the therapeutic effect, they can cause serious harm to the body. Their powerful action primarily affects the heart muscle. In this regard, the risk of heart failure and heart rhythm disorders increases. Stopping the work of the main organ of the circulatory system is not excluded. As a rule, such consequences are inherent in drugs from the macrolide group.

As for vitamins, their intake also requires control by a doctor. Otherwise, health problems cannot be avoided. So, for example, uncontrolled use of the Vikasol vitamin complex (vitamin K, which prevents internal bleeding), can provoke vascular thrombosis. But an excess amount of calcium in the body negatively affects the conduction system of the heart, which loses the ability to fully perform its basic functions. You should not get carried away with vitamins and in the presence of mitral valve prolapse, because this can also cause cardiac arrest.

Psychotropic drugs

This drug group includes tranquilizers, antidepressants and sedatives. They are used to treat disorders of the nervous system. They are indicated for use by epileptics and patients with schizophrenia.

Tranquilizers depress emotions and reduce mental abilities. However, they cause contraction of the muscles of the face and heart. Tablets prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia initiate psychosis, which may be accompanied by an increase in blood pressure and the appearance of arrhythmias. In the presence of cardiac pathologies, this can cause cardiac arrest.

It can also be caused by exceeding the recommended dosage of the drug.

With an overdose of antidepressants, the following symptoms are noted:

• chills;
• seizures;
• body paralysis;
• immediate cessation of the heart.

Some medications can lead to suicidal thoughts. That is why you should take any drugs only after consulting a doctor.

Causes of death from medications

Due to medication, death occurs in 2% of cases. To prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to adhere to the prescriptions and prescriptions of a specialist. It should be understood that an overdose or a combination of different drugs can lead to dangerous consequences.

Overdose

Overdose symptoms are different. As a rule, they manifest themselves in the form of attacks of nausea, dizziness, convulsions. More serious conditions are accompanied by depression and respiratory arrest, hallucinations, visual disturbances, and cessation of the heart.

To neutralize the effect of the drug that causes cardiac arrest, you should try to provoke vomiting, but on the condition that the medicine was taken in the form of tablets. After that, you need to call an ambulance or independently deliver the patient to the toxicology department. It is advisable to have a package of medication that has been taken with you.

Child use

A particularly dangerous situation in terms of overdose in children. The following symptoms will help to suspect the impending cardiac arrest and promptly respond to it:

• loss of consciousness;
• cyanosis or pallor of the skin;
• rare breathing;
• lack of pulse;
• dilated pupils that do not respond to light.

The lack of resuscitation leads to hypoxic changes in tissues and organs, followed by the so-called biological death.

To help a child at home, you need to act quickly (about 5 minutes left). First of all, it must be laid on the table, undressed, and foreign objects removed from the mouth. After that, the fingertips exert pressure on the lower part of the sternum with a frequency of 120 shocks per minute. These manipulations are recommended to be carried out gently, but intensively. After 15 compressions have been made, they begin to perform artificial respiration, 2 breaths into the mouth, and then into the nose. In parallel with the resuscitation, an ambulance is called.

Exacerbation of existing pathologies

It is highly undesirable to drink any medicines without the approval of a doctor, especially if there are serious health problems. Pills that cause cardiac arrest act very quickly. It is easiest to harm yourself, but not everyone succeeds in restoring the body's working capacity later. Therefore, you need to treat your health as responsibly as possible. The optimal drug therapy should be selected only after a series of studies.

Competent first aid for cardiac arrest

The algorithm of actions at home in case of respiratory and cardiac arrest is as follows:

• reaction check;
• heart massage;
• release of the airways;
• performing artificial respiration.

After calling an ambulance, specialists will carry out fibrillation and other necessary actions.

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How to provoke a heart attack?

How to provoke a heart attack?

“To be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine why a person would provoke a heart attack. After all, even the easiest, such an attack, can end very tragically, let alone more complex options. Therefore, provoking a heart attack in oneself is some kind of sophisticated form of suicide. And even more so, if you need to provoke such an attack, someone else. This is an outright crime. And even more so, talking about it will be simply inhumane.

If you mean, by the word provoke, a simulation of a heart attack, then there are many options. But, everything, in the end, depends on how experienced a person is in these matters. For a beginner, it's enough if you grab your heart and complain about cutting or dull pain in this region. And a qualified nurse is hard to fool, even with a well-rehearsed simulation.

This way, it's much easier to simulate something else. Although, if you are sure that people have little experience in this field, try it. Pallor, heavy breathing, heart complaints, convulsive twitches, all of these can be symptoms of a heart attack.

Well, as for the organization of a real attack, thank you, I don’t give out prescriptions for murder. Conscience, you know, does not allow.

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How to induce a heart attack

A heart attack is one of the most common causes of sudden death. Nobody is safe from it. Especially those people who have crossed a certain age limit. But, unfortunately, heart attacks are increasingly observed at a fairly young age. At the same time, the symptoms of a heart attack in women are somewhat different from the signs of pathology in men. They are more blurred and not expressed. And this leads to the fact that death rates in women from heart attacks are steadily increasing.

How to correctly recognize the first signs, symptoms of a heart attack? And what to do in this situation? How can you help yourself or a loved one?

What is a heart attack

Pathology often leads to death. But doctors say that if first aid is provided in a timely manner, and a team of doctors is called, then the patient can be saved. Most often, a fatal outcome is likely if urgent therapeutic measures could not be taken. In this case, death occurs as a result of extensive damage to the heart and complications that have arisen.

What happens in the body with this pathology? Symptoms of a heart attack in women appear if one of the arteries that feed the myocardium ceases to function fully. It does not deliver blood to the main organ in full. This leads to damage to part of the heart muscle. The tissues begin to die. The patient is in dire need of qualified assistance. Otherwise, death.

What can cause a heart attack? Symptoms in women occur against the background of a violation of the blood flow of blood vessels. Pathology can manifest itself as a result of a sudden spasm. Often an attack is provoked by an unexpected blockage of a vessel by cholesterol or a blood clot. Regardless of the factor that caused the pathology, there is only one reason for the death of heart tissue - a lack of oxygen.

Factors leading to a heart attack

There are many reasons that can trigger a heart attack. Symptoms in women in most cases are similar regardless of the source of the pathology.

The main provoking factors include:

• age (after 55 years, a woman enters the risk zone);
• hereditary factor;
• undergone surgery to remove the ovaries;
• period after menopause.

Additional sources of pathology

However, there are other causes that provoke a heart attack, which can be eliminated or negated their negative impact on the body.

These factors are:

1. Smoking, addiction to alcohol, drug addiction. These factors are number one. Smokers are almost always diagnosed with heart disease. Alcohol intoxication worsens the situation several times. Often an acute attack occurs in a state of deep hangover.
2. Taking birth control pills. Sometimes such a factor leads to the appearance of pathology in women who have not even reached the age of 40.
3. High cholesterol. Vessels clogged with plaques experience serious overload. Of course, the heart does not receive enough blood. He has to work hard.
4. Obesity. Organs swollen with fat do not allow the myocardium to work at full strength. This is a fairly common cause leading to cardiac disorders.
5. Inactivity. As a rule, this factor is combined with obesity or overweight.
6. Hypertension. High blood pressure overloads the heart muscle and blood vessels.
7. Diabetes. This is a pathology that provokes many different disorders in the body. Suffering from the disease and the cardiovascular system.
8. Inflammatory processes in the vessels. They provoke a rupture of the coronary artery. Inflammation causes an increase in reactive protein in the body. This pattern is observed most often in women. And what caused the increase in protein, doctors are not yet ready to say.
9. Hypothyroidism. The disease often becomes a source of heart disease. It can provoke an attack.
10. chronic stress. This condition is the cause of the development of most diseases in the body. First of all, stress negatively affects the work of the heart.

Classic signs

Let's look at what are the most common symptoms of a heart attack?

Pathology is characterized by the following main features:

1. There is pain in the chest area. This is the most characteristic symptom of an impending heart attack. But pain doesn't always happen. Some people feel discomfort, tightness, a certain pressure in the chest. In this case, pain is completely absent. Patients claim that it becomes difficult for them to breathe, there is a feeling, "as if someone stepped on their chest." Very often, people believe that a heart attack causes pain only in the sternum and unpleasant discomfort in the left arm. You should know that negative sensations can appear in any other parts of the body: in the shoulders, in the throat, in the upper part of the peritoneum, in the jaws, teeth, and back.
2. Strong sweating, perspiration. Notice when this symptom appears. Of particular concern is increased sweating in a person who is in a cool room, and not in the heat. Perspiration that appeared in the absence of physical activity can indicate problems. Strong sweating causes blockage of the arteries. The heart needs to work harder to pump enough blood. To maintain a normal temperature with an additional load, the body releases a large amount of sweat. If you encounter such a problem, be sure to consult your doctor.
3. Dyspnea. If such attacks occur after a small load (climbing a couple of floors, walking), you should consult a doctor. Very often shortness of breath is a symptom of heart disease. Especially if it is accompanied by severe fatigue and chest pain. Women are more likely to experience these symptoms. It is shortness of breath and fatigue that usually warn of an impending heart attack.

Additional symptoms

With a classic attack, often there are:

1. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Very often, disorders in the digestive tract appear before an attack. Indigestion, heartburn, nausea may occur. These symptoms are often combined with dizziness. However, do not forget that such symptoms can be inherent in a number of pathologies.
2. Numbness of fingers. Can only cover brushes. But sometimes the numbness extends to the shoulders and forearms.
3. Disrupted speech. A completely sober person begins to weave his tongue. Speech becomes slurred and incomprehensible.
4. Violation of motor coordination. The person loses control over the body. Most often this applies to the neck, shoulders, arms. This state is very similar to alcohol intoxication. Especially if it is combined with slurred speech. That is why others do not always rush to help a person who is in such a state. This is very dangerous, because precious minutes are lost.

If you pay attention to the main symptoms of a heart attack listed above in a timely manner, then you can manage to save a person's life. Therefore, do not pass by a person who needs your help.

Features of seizures in women

Most often, people present a heart attack as a sudden, pronounced attack. If the pathology concerns the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity, then the situation is somewhat different. Symptoms of a heart attack in women are rarely pronounced. Most of the patients endure them without attaching any importance to them at all.

This is dictated by the fact that the signs of the disease in most cases are blurred. Therefore, women do not notice them and do not take them seriously. In addition, the symptoms are somewhat different from those that characterize an attack in men.

Alarms

Pay attention to what are the first symptoms of a heart attack in women:

1. Severe fatigue, almost unsettling.
2. Disturbed sleep, insomnia. This condition can be observed even after severe fatigue. These symptoms appear about a month before the attack.
3. Increased anxiety, agitation, feeling of stress.
4. Indigestion, the appearance of nausea with normal nutrition.
5. Weak, clammy, sweaty skin.
6. Difficulty breathing with normal exertion or climbing stairs.
7. The appearance of pain in the neck, face, jaw, ears. Discomfort can spread to the arms, shoulders. It resembles a state of stretching of muscle tissue.

How to help yourself?

If you observe the signs of a heart attack in women described above, do not expect the condition to worsen. The best solution is to consult a doctor and get qualified help.

Remember that the doctor must be informed about all the symptoms that appear. In addition, it is important to name the factors that can aggravate the condition (genetic predisposition, smoking, hypertension).

If you have an attack

What to do if you are caught off guard by a heart attack? Symptoms, first aid - these are the points that every person should know well. After all, minutes count.

First aid consists of the following activities:

1. Call the ambulance right away. Even if you do not know how to help yourself, the dispatcher will explain to you what to do before the arrival of the doctors.
2. Contact relatives who are able to come to you immediately if the attack began at the moment when you are alone.
3. Take an aspirin tablet (325 mg). The pill should be chewed for the fastest effect.
4. Take a nitroglycerin tablet. If a positive effect is not observed, you can use the medicine again. The third pill is allowed to drink only if the pain does not subside within 10 minutes after taking the second pill.
5. Try to remain calm. Panic and fear, characteristic of an attack, complicate the condition. Remember that help is on its way to you. You can focus on counting your heartbeat. It's calming.
6. Stay in a supine position, on your back. In this case, it is desirable to raise the legs higher, placing a pillow or other object under them. This will allow the diaphragm to open, and oxygen will be better supplied to the blood.
7. Take deep breaths and even exhales.
8. If possible, it is recommended to open a window to allow fresh air to enter.

What Not to Do

If symptoms of a heart attack are observed in women, it is not enough to know how to act in such a situation. It should be remembered that it is strictly contraindicated:

• get up or move around;
• smoke;
• get behind the wheel;
• use aspirin if there is intolerance to the drug or an exacerbation of gastritis, ulcers is diagnosed;
• take nitroglycerin in case of low blood pressure, severe headache, speech, coordination, vision disorders;
• consume drinks or food.

Help for a loved one

What to do if something is wrong with a person in front of your eyes, and you suspect that he is having a heart attack?

Symptoms in women, treatment is often perceived by such persons as not serious. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that they will begin to refuse to call a doctor and protest against the need to take a horizontal position.

Your actions should be as quick and clear as possible:

1. Call an ambulance.
2. Lay the patient on a horizontal surface with any object under their feet. Make sure the patient does not get up.
3. Unfasten the collar, belt.
4. Provide fresh air by opening a window. Turn on the fan.
5. Try to calm and reassure the victim.

Be sure to follow all the steps above. And remember that the further life of this person depends on your actions.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack is a serious condition that occurs as a result of a problem with the blood supply after an obstruction of one of the heart arteries.

The consequences of this pathology are usually irreversible, which is why it is important to be able to distinguish this most dangerous condition in the first stages of its manifestation.

What can cause a heart attack?

As a rule, people who have any abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, congenital pathologies, or who have had complications after surgical interventions in this area are susceptible to heart attacks.

A special risk group is the elderly.

Due to natural age-related changes towards aging, they are most often subject to heart attacks (men, according to statistics, suffer from heart attacks more often than women).

Other causes that can provoke the onset of a pathological condition: atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, abuse of anabolic steroids (a very common cause in athletes involved in muscle building), diabetes.

A sedentary, sedentary lifestyle, especially with an unhealthy diet, also increases the risk of getting a heart attack. The territorial location of a person's place of residence significantly affects the possibility of heart failure.

Hot, dry climate, dry periods adversely affect the pressure and cardiovascular system of people.

This is especially true for people of retirement age. They are encouraged, if possible, to move to more favorable areas for living.

Separately, it is worth highlighting the “voluntary” ways to earn a heart attack. These include extremely common bad habits in our time: drug addiction, alcohol addiction, smoking.

In smokers, cardiac abnormalities and seizures occur almost constantly. Alcohol abusers risk worsening existing heart problems, the harmful effects of alcohol poisons on the body.

Attacks after heavy drinking, especially in the heat, are found everywhere. Narcotic substances after taking have a depressing effect on the center responsible for the work of the heart and blood vessels.

The pulse slows down and blood pressure drops. As a result, there is a strong oxygen starvation, the heart muscle stops working properly.

Another group of drugs, on the contrary, raises the pressure.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack and how to recognize it?

In order to immediately take measures to save the life and health of the victim, it is important to be able to distinguish the signs of a heart attack from other abnormalities with similar symptoms.

It is noteworthy that men and women have different heart symptoms.

The main reason to determine an attack and urgently call an ambulance team is acute pain in the chest region. Drugs (nitroglycerin) do not relieve it.

A person is unable to carry out the respiratory process normally due to severe pain. The victim begins to experience oxygen starvation with signs of suffocation.

The danger is not pronounced symptoms, such as shortness of breath. It can occur in a person both at rest and after any physical activity. They may not pay attention to her, citing fatigue, overwork, "age".

Knock down taking drugs and forget about it. You can't do that. Any breathing problems, soreness in the chest area, burning sensations and other unusual phenomena should be the basis for a visit to the doctor and examination of your body.

In addition to the bright, alarming symptoms indicated above, there are others that are difficult to associate at first glance with the “heart”.

Vomiting and nausea begin. After vomiting, the patient does not experience the usual relief in this case. On the contrary, the situation is only getting worse. Violations of brain activity (dizziness, panic attacks, fainting) are frequent companions of an impending heart attack.

It is worth paying attention to such seemingly harmless conditions as suddenly appeared night snoring and excessive sweating of the extremities.

Heart attack symptoms in women

Certain symptoms of heart failure in women are often less pronounced than in men. This leads to the fact that the mortality rate from this disease in women is higher than in men.

What do the first symptoms of impending trouble in women look like? What will be the differences from male manifestations? How to protect yourself, mom, grandmother?

For women, the main risk factors are:

1. age over 55 years;
2. poor heredity in humans;
3. the consequences of a difficult menopause;
4. surgical interventions to remove the internal reproductive organs;
5. severe hypertension.

Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives can cause failure and harm the heart. Women under 40 are at risk.

Other reasons for the development of pathology: poor, monotonous nutrition, lack of heart-healthy products.

A large amount of fatty, cholesterol-containing food leads to blockage of blood vessels and the heart cannot be fully supplied with blood. Excess fat on the internal organs does not allow the heart to function normally and causes wear and tear, overload.

Cardiac pathologies can also begin with prolonged depression and stress, which are common in the modern world.

What should be your first concern?

The alarm signals that the female body gives include: severe weakness, fatigue, literally knocking down. Then insomnia or nocturnal panic attacks portend a heart attack about a month before it occurs.

Another sure sign: when moving up or lifting something even with a small weight, shortness of breath and breathing failures begin. An occasion to seek help and if pain begins in the front and neck, left shoulder and arm.

Symptoms of a heart attack in men

Diseases associated with the cardiovascular system take the lives of men most often.

Who needs to be extremely careful?

Firstly, people over 50 years old, and secondly, those who have bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction).

Subject to a heart attack and men employed in jobs with a lot of stressful situations, in positions with a high mental level. Teachers, professors, theater actors, doctors are always under threat.

Men should always have routine medical check-ups (especially those suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes) and keep their nerves.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack in men?

With an unexpected acute pain in the chest, problems with inhaling air, you need to urgently call an ambulance. Nausea, sudden icy sweat and pain in the left hand should also alert.

Long-term symptoms include prolonged weakness, fatigue, and insomnia.

First aid will consist of calling doctors, and the dispatcher on the phone will tell you what you can take.

Heart attacks often occur without warning symptoms, and although it has long been documented that atherosclerosis (deposition of cholesterol in the arteries) is the most common cause of this phenomenon, there are a number of factors that contribute to this in people at risk.

Not so long ago, scientists from Belgium in the journal The Lancet published the results of studies that revealed a number of risk factors. These factors are especially dangerous for people with cardiovascular diseases:

City dwellers beware: traffic is a risk factor for 8 percent of heart attacks in those who are especially vulnerable, researchers say. This is especially true for drivers, passengers and even those who move around the city on a bicycle. Other studies that found a link between traffic and heart attacks were inconclusive because it wasn't entirely clear what was actually causing the problem: air pollution, the stress of moving in heavy traffic, or a combination of both. .

In any case, getting stuck in traffic jams is unfavorable for any person. If you have the opportunity to work from home, take advantage of it. Those who work from home are healthier, past studies have shown, even if they work longer hours. At home, you can better organize your workplace, relax more often, take breaks and experience less stress.

Physical activity causes heart attacks in 6 percent of cases. However, this is not about those healthy physical activities that a person can get by playing sports. Researchers have found that people who lead a sedentary lifestyle almost constantly, and then abruptly begin to load themselves and perform very complex physical exercises, are in a dangerous position.

The best protection is to exercise for 150 minutes a week - that is, no more than 30 minutes daily. But if you move very little and then suddenly decide to clear meter-long snowdrifts near the house, you need to warm up properly before this and not start physically working early in the morning. Serious physical activity in the morning is stressful for your body, and the heart may not be able to withstand it.

The drinks you drink to cheer up or calm your nerves can be the cause of heart attacks in 5 percent of cases. Drinking too much alcohol can contribute to problems, but doctors aren't sure exactly how alcohol causes heart attacks. Several theories suggest that alcohol can increase inflammation and prevent the body from dissolving blood clots in the vessels.

It should be remembered that 1 glass of wine or an equivalent portion of other mild alcohol per day may, on the contrary, prevent heart problems due to the beneficial polyphenols found in wine and beer.

Coffee, on the other hand, works just the opposite. Most of the studies that have looked at coffee's association with heart attacks have found that people who drink less coffee are more likely to have heart attacks than those who drink a lot of coffee.

Smog, exhaust fumes, and the many dust particles emitted by vehicles are all serious but subtle health hazards. Dirty air causes about 4.75 percent of heart attacks among vulnerable people. The authors of the studies say that although this is the lowest percentage in this case, nevertheless, this risk factor is one of the most serious, because no one can be protected from dirty air by living in a city.

It is for this reason that environmental experts in cardiology say that since it is almost impossible to protect yourself from dirty air, special attention should be paid to other risk factors that can be managed. For example, reduce stress, treat migraines if they occur, eat less red meat and salt, and follow the Mediterranean diet.

5. Good and bad mood

Strong emotions seem to contribute to heart disease, even if they are positive. Anger and negative emotions are, of course, more risky - about 7 percent of heart attacks are associated with them. Positive emotions are responsible for heart problems in 2.5 percent of cases. "Any strong emotion can cause stress," says Dr. Jeffrey Rossman.

All strong emotions increase the release of adrenaline, the heartbeat and the viscosity of the red blood cells, which together can lead to a heart attack. It is for this reason that negative emotions should be avoided and more positive emotions should be experienced.” Positive emotions generally result in a more balanced heart rate compared to negative ones. Irregular heart rhythm leads to heart attacks,” says Rossman.

What's more, he added that because we're trying to resist negative emotions, it produces more muscle tension than positive emotions, including tension in the muscles around blood vessels. Due to the fact that blood vessels are constricted by muscles, negative emotions are more likely to cause a stroke than positive emotions.

Among the cases of heart attacks, 2.2 percent are cases that were related to sex. Any activity in a horizontal position can increase blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn can lead to problems with the heart and blood vessels. Various studies that have examined the association of sex with heart attacks have shown that the risk is relatively low for healthy people, about 1 in a million. But if a person is already at risk for a heart attack, they should be careful. The good news is that regular exercise significantly reduces the risk of heart problems during and after sex, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. .

How do doctors call this pathology?

During a heart attack, one of the arteries that feed the heart stops supplying enough blood to the part of the heart muscle it serves. This leads to damage to a local area of ​​tissue of the heart muscle.

If treatment is not started immediately, the person may die; almost half of sudden deaths from a heart attack occur before the patient is taken to the hospital. Usually death occurs from extensive tissue damage or complications. The prognosis improves if action is taken immediately.

What causes an attack?

Most often, the cause lies in arteriosclerosis (hardening of the coronary arteries), when blood flow to the heart muscle decreases.

High blood pressure;

Obesity or a diet high in saturated fat, carbohydrates, and salt;

Passive lifestyle;

Drug use, especially cocaine;

A constitution.

Resuming sex life after a heart attack

After returning from the hospital, you should gradually return to physical activity. Most heart attack survivors can resume their sexual life after 3-4 weeks.

Sex is a moderate exercise, comparable in energy consumption to brisk walking, but in a state of emotional distress, it can put an additional strain on the heart.

What should be the environment during sex?

The environment should be familiar and calm, otherwise stress is possible. Pay attention to the temperature in the room - too high or too low create additional stress on the heart.

When to have sex?

Have sex when you are rested and relaxed. The best time to do this is in the morning, after a good night's sleep.

When should you abstain from sex?

If you are tired or anxious, and after a large dose of alcohol, refrain from sex. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, and the heart has to work harder. You should not have sex after a heavy meal.

Choose a comfortable position

Try to take a position in which you would breathe freely and be comfortable.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Let your partner take the dominant role.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should take nitroglycerin before sex to prevent angina during or after sex.

Do not forget that an increase in heart rate and breathing is a completely normal thing during sex. But they should return to normal after 15 minutes. Call your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms after having sex:

Profuse sweating or palpitations lasting more than 15 minutes;

Shortness of breath or rapid pulse, observed for more than 15 minutes;

Chest pain that does not improve after taking two to three nitroglycerin tablets (taken 5 minutes apart) or at rest;

Sleepiness after sex or extreme tiredness the next day.

Men have more heart attacks than women, but there is a trend towards an increase in the number of women suffering from heart attacks; among them, smokers and users of oral contraceptives are especially numerous (see RETURNING SEX LIFE AFTER A HEART ATTACK and THE ROAD TO RECOVERY).

Road to recovery

Simply walking in a pattern can help you strengthen your heart and speed up your recovery from a heart attack. Be sure to warm up (warm up) before walking and gradually relieve (cool down) after walking.

Stretch your muscles, do stretching exercises, for example, for the calves and muscles of the shoulder girdle. To stretch your calf muscles, place both palms against the wall at about shoulder height. Take one foot step towards the wall and lean towards it, keeping your palms flat on the wall and keeping your feet on the floor. Push up against the wall until you feel tension in your legs.

To stretch the shoulder girdle, close your arms above your head and pull your shoulders back.

Week Warm-up Exercise Gradual transition to rest Total, min

1 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 3 min Vigorous walking 5 min Walking at a slow pace 3 min Stretching muscles 2 min 15

2 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 7 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 17

3 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 9 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 19

4 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 11 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 21

5 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 13 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 23

6 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 3 mins Vigorous walking 15 mins Slow walking 3 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 25

7 Warm-up 2 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Vigorous walking 18 minutes Slow walking 3 minutes Muscle stretching 2 minutes 28

8 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 5 mins Vigorous walking 20 mins Slow walking 5 min Muscle stretching 2 min 34

9 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 23 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 37

10 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 26 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 40

11 Warm-up 2 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Vigorous walking 28 min Walking at a slow pace 5 min Stretching muscles 2 min 42

12 Warm up 2 mins Slow walking 5 mins Vigorous walking 30 mins Slow walking 5 min Muscle stretching 2 mins 44

What are the signs that a heart attack is approaching?

The main symptom is persistent long-term (12 hours or more) pressing pain in the chest, which can radiate to the left arm, jaw, neck or shoulder blades. Usually the patient describes the pain as intense, squeezing or pressing. But for some, particularly older people and those with diabetes, pain may not be present. In some cases, the pain may be weak; patients or their doctors mistake them for gastric. In people with hardening of the arteries, the signal of an approaching heart attack is the increase and intensification of chest pains, an increase in their duration, especially if the pains appear after exertion, plentiful food, exposure to cold or wind.

Some people have a fear of death, feeling tired, vomiting, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, perspiration, anxiety and restlessness before a heart attack. Finally, there are cases where there are no symptoms at all.

The most common complications after a heart attack are recurrent or persistent chest pain; insufficiency of the main chamber of the heart (left ventricle), leading to heart failure and the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the lungs, deterioration of the pumping function of the heart, cardiogenic shock.

Soon after a heart attack, some patients develop serious complications such as a blood clot in a vein, dysfunction of the heart valve, a ruptured interventricular septum, and a ruptured heart muscle, which can lead to death.

Even a few months after a heart attack, Dressler's syndrome (inflammation of the pericardial sac) may develop, in which the patient suffers from chest pain, fever, and in some cases the condition is complicated by pneumonia.

How is the diagnosis established?

A doctor diagnoses a heart attack by persistent chest pain, abnormal heart sounds, electrocardiogram data, and blood tests showing elevated heart enzymes for more than 72 hours.

MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE

What you need to know about heart rhythm disorders

Heart rhythm disturbances (cardiac arrhythmias) can manifest themselves in different ways: too frequent or too rare, uneven (at irregular intervals) heartbeats, or both. The reasons for the violation of the normal production of excitatory impulses of the heart are also different.

In the heart muscle there are conductive fibers that ensure the rapid movement of impulses through muscle cells. When the impulse conduction system is working properly, heartbeats are synchronous and occur at regular intervals. Violations in this system immediately affect the change in heart rhythms and their regularity.

Symptoms: Mild to threatening

Cardiac arrhythmias alter the pumping function of the heart, which can lead to a range of symptoms and complications, from palpitations, dizziness, fainting, to the development of threatening blood clots in a vein and even cardiac arrest.

With arrhythmias, medications are prescribed that allow you to control the situation, as well as special procedures. Commonly used drugs include lanoxin, inderal, isoptin, cardioquin, and pronestyl. However, you should be aware that these drugs do not cure disorders, but only maintain the heart rhythm.

To normalize the heart rhythm, carotid sinus massage, the Valsalva method, an artificial pacemaker, electrical defibrillation of the heart, and surgical intervention are used.

Carotid sinus massage

The procedure consists in massaging the carotid sinus (the place where the common carotid artery branches) located on the side of the neck for several seconds, which helps to restore the heart rhythm. Patients are taught to massage themselves when an arrhythmia appears.

This method increases the pressure in the chest, as a result of which the heart rhythm is restored. In this case: the patient takes a deep breath and holds his breath for at least 10 seconds before exhaling the air.

Setting the pacemaker - pacemaker

A pacemaker may be placed in the heart. This device generates electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat and sets the heart rate. Usually, a temporary pacemaker is first installed for several days, and then a permanent one or by performing a surgical operation.

Electrical defibrillation of the heart

This is a method of correcting the heart rhythm with the help of an electric current. The patient is first given a sedative to put him to sleep; then, an electric current pulse is applied to the heart through special plates placed on the chest. The procedure normalizes the heart rate and relieves symptoms.

If the abnormal heart rhythm cannot be corrected with drugs or other conservative methods, the doctor may recommend the following surgeries: open heart surgery (to correct structural defects), implantation of a permanent pacemaker, or insertion of an cardioverter-defibrillator. In the latter case, the surgeon sews two small overlays onto the surface of the heart, and then brings the thin wires attached to them under the skin into a pocket on the abdomen, where the device itself is placed. The cardioverter works automatically when the heart stops or its irregular work. The device delivers a pulse that restores a normal heart rhythm.

You had a heart attack. What should you do?

Follow all doctor's orders

Make sure you understand your doctor's instructions correctly and take your medications as directed.

Watch for side effects of medications and let your doctor know if they occur. So, when taking lanoxin, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and xanthopsia (seeing objects in yellow light) are sometimes observed.

If you have chest pain, call your doctor.

Eat what is good for the heart

Make changes to your diet as recommended by your doctor. It is usually advised to reduce the intake of salt, fats and foods containing a lot of cholesterol.

Other useful changes

If you smoke, stop smoking.

Increase sexual activity gradually.

Join a rehabilitation program recommended by your doctor.

If the symptoms and examination results do not give a clear picture, the doctor should protect the patient by assuming that he is dealing with a heart attack. To confirm the diagnosis are used:

12-lead electrocardiogram, which may show characteristic pathology in the first few hours after a heart attack;

Echocardiography to detect abnormalities in the movement of the ventricular wall;

Scans can show significant damage to the heart muscle, which looks like a "hot spot" on film.

Treatment is aimed at relieving chest pain, stabilizing the heart rate, reducing the workload on the heart, restoring blood supply to the coronary arteries, and preserving heart muscle tissue. In the first 48 hours after a heart attack, irregular heart rhythms require special attention; medications or a pacemaker may be required. Sometimes an electrical impulse is given to the heart to restore a normal rhythm (see WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEART RHYTHMS).

To maintain heart muscle within 6 hours after the onset of symptoms of a heart attack, a doctor may prescribe thrombolytic agents that dissolve blood clots in the arteries (eg, streptokinase, alteplase, urokinase).

If narrowing of the coronary artery is causing heart attacks, subcutaneous coronary angioplasty is performed. In this case, the doctor inserts a thin balloon catheter with a contrast dye into the narrowed coronary artery. After finding the narrowing site, the doctor inflates the catheter balloon, which, expanding, opens the artery.

Other treatments

After a heart attack, some patients are prescribed:

Lidocaine - to normalize some types of cardiac arrhythmias;

Pronestyl, cardioquin, bretylin, or norpace;

Atropine or a temporary pacemaker if the intervals between heartbeats are too long;

Nitroglycerin, calcium channel blockers, or other drugs that relieve pain, redistribute blood flow so that more blood flows to areas of the heart muscle suffering from malnutrition, help the heart pump more blood and reduce the workload on it; heparin - to prevent the formation of blood clots;

Morphine - to relieve pain and provide a sedative effect;

medicines to improve the contractility of the heart or increase blood pressure;

Beta-blockers (eg, inderal nblocadren) are used after an acute heart attack to prevent another attack;

Aspirin - to prevent blood clots (no later than 24 hours after the onset of symptoms);

Bed rest (it is forbidden to get up even to the toilet) to give complete rest to the heart;

Oxygen (within 24-48 hours);

Pulmonary artery catheterization - to detect insufficiency of the left or right ventricles. The doctor passes a thin, hollow tube through the heart into the pulmonary artery to measure various pressures (see YOU HAVE HAD A HEART ATTACK. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?)