Heart Attack & Emergency Cardiac Conditions

Heart attacks (myocardial infarction) occur when the coronary arteries are blocked, starving heart muscle of oxygen, causing tissue death within minutes. Emergency cardiac conditions also encompass sudden cardiac arrest, acute heart failure, and arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation, all life-threatening without swift intervention.

Classic heart attack symptoms feature crushing chest pain radiating to arms, jaw, or back, often with sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Cardiac arrest strikes abruptly: unresponsiveness, no pulse, and abnormal gasping.

Immediate response is critical. Call emergency services instantly. Bystanders administer aspirin (if not allergic), perform CPR (100-120 compressions/minute), and deploy AED to restore rhythm. In hospitals, treatments include thrombolytics, angioplasty, stenting, or bypass for blockages; anti-arrhythmics, defibrillation, or mechanical support for arrest and failure.

Risk factors—smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity—underscore prevention via lifestyle, statins, and antihypertensives. Post-event cardiac rehab reduces recurrence. Early recognition saves lives: survival drops 10% per minute without CPR in arrest.