When we think of heart attacks or heart failure, many of us picture someone suddenly collapsing, clutching their chest in pain. But what if I told you that these conditions often start quietly, with subtle signs that are easy to overlook? The truth is, you could be experiencing symptoms of heart failure or a heart attack without realizing it, simply brushing off the warning signs as fatigue or stress.
Heart Failure
What Happens During Heart Failure?
Heart failure doesn’t mean the heart stops working entirely; it means it’s struggling to pump blood effectively. Think of it as a pump that’s lost its strength. This can happen due to a weakened heart muscle, often caused by damage from conditions like coronary artery disease or high blood pressure. When the heart can’t pump enough blood, vital organs don’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need, leading to fatigue, swelling, and shortness of breath. Imagine trying to water your garden with a hose that’s barely trickling—everything struggles to thrive.
Causes of Heart Failure:
Heart failure is usually the result of long-term conditions that have worn down the heart. High blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and diabetes are common culprits. Over time, these conditions damage the heart muscle, making it weak and stiff.
Implications of Heart Failure:
If heart failure goes unmanaged, it can lead to severe complications, including kidney damage, liver damage, and even life-threatening arrhythmias. Early detection and treatment can help manage the condition and improve quality of life.
Heart Attack
What Happens During a Heart Attack?
A heart attack is like a traffic jam in the arteries. It occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot in a coronary artery. Without blood flow, the affected part of the heart muscle begins to die. This blockage often results from the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries, a condition known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
Causes of Heart Attacks:
The primary cause of a heart attack is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Over time, plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form and block the artery. Other factors include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Implications of Heart Attacks:
A heart attack is a medical emergency. If not treated promptly, it can lead to permanent damage to the heart muscle or even death. Quick treatment restores blood flow and minimizes damage.
Signs to Heart Failure and Heart Attacks
Heart Failure: Symptoms of heart failure develop gradually. You might notice persistent fatigue, swelling in your legs, ankles, or abdomen, shortness of breath, and difficulty lying flat without feeling breathless.
Heart Attack: Signs of a heart attack often come on suddenly. These include chest pain or discomfort (like pressure, squeezing, or fullness), pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, nausea, and lightheadedness.
How Does Interventional Cardiology Treat Heart Attack or Heart Failure?
When heart failure or a heart attack strikes, interventional cardiologists are the experts who step in to restore the heart’s function using specialized techniques and tools.
For Heart Attacks: During a heart attack, an artery supplying blood to the heart muscle becomes blocked. Interventional cardiologists perform a procedure called angioplasty to remove the blockage. This involves threading a small balloon through the artery and inflating it at the site of the blockage to flatten the plaque against the artery walls. In many cases, a small mesh tube called a stent is placed to keep the artery open, allowing blood to flow freely.
For Heart Failure: In heart failure, the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively is impaired. Depending on the cause, interventional cardiologists may open blocked arteries, repair faulty valves, or implant devices that help regulate the heart’s rhythm. For example, a pacemaker sends electrical signals to maintain a regular heartbeat, while a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device ensures that both sides of the heart pump in coordination.
These procedures address immediate concerns, prevent future complications and improve the patient’s quality of life by enhancing heart function and reducing the risk of further cardiac events.
Recognizing when to seek medical help can be lifesaving. If your heart sends out a distress signal, treat it like a fire alarm—don’t wait to see if it stops on its own. Immediate action can make all the difference in preventing serious consequences. Book an appointment with Euracare here.