Our heart is the most important organ of our body that is responsible for the transfer of blood flow to the body. People might suffer from acidity and can mistake it for a heart attack.
And sometimes they can confuse heartburn with a heart attack. Let us learn in detail about it so that you can make informed health decisions.
What is a Heartburn?
According to the best cardiologist in Lahore, heartburn is more commonly known as acidity. This condition occurs when all the acid buildup from the stomach towards the esophagus which is a pipe that connects the mouth with the stomach.
The esophagus is a small tube that is made up of strong elastic muscles which allow food to travel in the stomach. But too much consumption of acidic foods can result in acid formation which later causes acidity or heartburn.
Do not get worried because of the word heartburn as it is not related to a heart condition or ailment. Therefore in order to learn better about this disease learning about the many signs and symptoms of heartburn is necessary.
What are the Symptoms of Heartburn?
The symptoms of heartburn are as follows:
- Burning and severe pain at the back of the chest bone
- Continuous feeling of hot, sour, and acidic fluids at the back of the throat
- Pressure pain that mostly covers the throat regions and does not travel to other regions
- Burning sensations in the chest that can lead to the feeling of indigestion and a sense of fullness
What are the Causes of a Heartburn?
Although there is no obvious or concrete cause of heartburn, there are some common causes of heartburn that you should know about:
- Nicotine intake
- Pregnancy
- Stress
- Medications such as painkillers
- Hiatus hernia is a condition in which a part of the stomach moves up
- Anxiety
- Some food choices such as tomatoes, coffee, and spicy foods
- A sudden boost in progesterones and estrogen
What is a Heartattack?
A heart attack is a fatal condition in which a person suffers from blocked or reduced blood flow to the heart. This hindrance causes severe issues in the functioning of the heart leading to its complete shutdown. People can suffer from heart attacks because of either cholesterol or fat buildup or shrinkage of the arteries.
What are the Symptoms of a Heart Attack?
Given below are some of the common signs and symptoms of heart attack that you should keep an eye on:
Severe pain that initiates with exertion and then travels towards the shoulders as well as in the arm region
- Irregular cardiac rhythms
- Cold sweating
- A numbing sensation in the limbs and arms
- Pressure pain instances that can spread to shoulders, neck, and jaw
- Lightheadedness
- Fatigue
What are the Causes of Heart Attack?
Most of the time, heart attacks are because of coronary heart disease. It is a condition in which the person suffers from blocked arteries. This blockage is because of fat buildup in the veins which is known as plaques.
In case a plaque breaks off from an artery it can result in the formation of a blood clot in the heart which can yield further complications. Blockage leading to a heart attack can be of two types:
Acute or Complete Blockage
In this condition, a person is suffering from a case of myocardial infarction which means that a large heart artery has been blocked.
Partial Blockage
A partial blockage of arteries hints at a non-ST elevation. But in severe case scenarios, it can convert into a complete blockage of arteries.
Some other causes of heart attack can be as follows:
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection
It is a condition in which the person deals with a tear inside an artery that supplies blood to the heart.
Infections
Severe infections such as COVID-19 can lead to damage to the heart muscles.
Coronary Artery Spasm
A serious heart condition in which the blood vessels not blocked are severely squeezed. This condition is also known as vasospastic angina or variant angina.
What are the Risk Factors of Heart Attack?
Some of the risk factors of heart attack are as follows:
- Age ( people between the ages of 45 and 55 are at greater risk)
- Use of tobacco ( too much smoking can increase the rate of shrinking of arteries)
- Hypertension ( high blood pressure can pose a serious threat to the heart condition of a person increasing the risk of heart attacks)
- Obesity ( severe weight gain leads to increased risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels)
- High levels of cholesterol ( high levels of bad cholesterol can increase the chances of heart attack)
- Stress ( too much stress also puts a strain on the heart)
- Unhealthy diet ( too much consumption of fatty acids can increase the risk of heart attack)
- Metabolic Syndrome ( having metabolic syndrome increases the chances of a heart attack by two folds)
