Tom Keith, 64, died on Sunday because of Heart Attack. It was reported that the man behind the Prairie Home companion experienced a sudden shortness of breath before he was found dead. Later that night, Keith was found lifeless after he collapsed. Keith experienced a severe heart attack that took away his life.

Heart attack is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world along with other heart diseases. Though a lot of people survive heart attacks, severe cases take people’s lives instantly.

If proper medications, lifestyle, food, and therapy have been done, risks of having heart attacks may have been prevented.

What is Heart Attack?

Heart attack or myocardial infarction results when a part of the heart’s arteries were obstructed for a long time causing damages to heart muscles. The damage can stop heart from pumping blood which can immediately result to death.

Coronary arteries, which bring blood to the heart, are the most commonly affected arteries. They are normally obstructed with either blood clot or fat deposits. And because of that, the oxygenated blood cannot reach the heart on time.

Myocardial infarction can happen to anyone, anytime. It can occur while you are sleeping, eating, or doing something. Heart attack is a medical emergency and treatments should be done immediately to save lives.

Causes of Heart Attack

Heart attack’s main causes include hypertension, obesity, and lack of exercise. Too much blood pressure can cause blood overflow and thus obstruction to arteries, which can later on lead to acute myocardial infarction.

Obese people and those who are eating fatty foods are at higher risk of having heart attacks because of fat deposits that can block their arteries.

Sedentary lifestyle can also contribute since the blood is not flowing normally without regular exercise.

Blood clotting agents and medicines should also be avoided when you have a heart disease. Blood clots may block the arteries that can stop blood flow to the heart.

Smoking should also be avoided since a study showed that Nicotine can also be obstructed in the arteries.

Associated Signs and Symptoms

A person experiencing symptoms of heart attack should never drive to the hospital alone. And it should never be delayed. It’s best to keep a medical emergency contact ready all the time.

The most common symptom of heart attack is chest pain. The pain is described as squeezing or can be mistaken as indigestion that normally crawls from the chest to the shoulders and back.

The pain is not usually relieved by Nitroglycerin, the most common medication for chest pains, and usually lasts for 20 to 30 minutes.
Other symptoms like cough, anxiety fainting, dizziness, and vomiting can also be experienced. When Tom Keith experienced shortness of breath, it is also an indication that he can have a heart attack.

On the other hand, medical professionals can predict that one is at risk of having a myocardial infarction. Abnormal lung sounds can be heard as well as heart murmurs. Rapid pulse can also be an indicator including the variations of blood pressure.

Upon analyzing the signs, the physician should ask for more confirmative examinations like electrocardiogram, measuring the electrical activity of the heart, troponin blood test, to check for heart’s tissue damage, and coronary angiography, an xray used to see the blood flow to the heart.

Treatments

The basic heart treatment starts with admission to the emergency room. Heart monitor will be used to check the status of the heart. Oxygen will then be given to ease the heart from working as hard. An intravenous line will also be used so the medicines and fluids can pass through the veins and thus act quicker. Then, morphine or nitroglycerin will be applied to reduce chest pain.

In case of emergency situations, angioplasty should be done. This is a procedure that will open blocked vessels that supply blood to the heart. Then a stent, a small tube, will be used to prevent the blood vessels from closing.

If the obstruction is caused by a blood clot, anti-clot medications can then be used.

In the end, a healthy lifestyle will still save you from heart attacks and other chronic diseases.