What is a Heart Attack?

[x]   Tags: heart attack, chest pain, heart disease, angina, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, cause of death, heart attack, atherosclerosis

[x]   Transcript: When someone has a heart attack, they need to receive medical attention as soon as possible. How can you tell when what you are experiencing is a heart attack? How should you respond? It can sometimes be hard to differentiate between the symptoms of a heart attack and more common occurrences like chest pain or severe heartburn. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to help tell the difference. While all three conditions are characterized by intense pain in and around the chest, there are several distinctive symptoms associated with a heart attack. Often, people suffering from a heart attack describe the pain they feel as radiating outward and leading to intense pain in the back, throat, or jaw. There can also be pain running down the left arm. Many heart attack sufferers also feel weakness and a distinct shortness of breath because the heart is no longer effectively circulating blood. Nausea, vomiting, a feeling of dizziness, and profuse sweating are also common symptoms of heart attack. All of these symptoms can be better understood in the context of what happens during a heart attack. The heart itself is a muscle, and its job is to circulate blood throughout the body. Oxygen-rich blood comes into the heart through two passages, known as the coronary arteries. Heart attacks occur when the fatty deposits or plaque build up in these arteries rupture and cause a clot in the artery. Without this oxygen-rich blood, the heart muscle begins to die, which is the source of the pain during a heart attack. Given this, it is not surprising that one other common symptom of heart attack is a rapid or an irregular heartbeat. The right response to a heart attack is simple. First, call 911 immediately, and ask for emergency help. Second, while you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive, take one regular strength aspirin tablet. This will prevent blood clotting that can worsen a heart attack. Being able to quickly recognize a heart attack will help you to respond fast, and the sooner you get proper treatment, the better your chances are of avoiding permanent damage to the heart. Remember, heart disease is both complex and serious, and you should always consult a physician if you have concerns. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, check out other videos and sources on this subject.

[x]   Bio:

After obtaining his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1988, Dr. Farkouh interned at the Toronto General Hospital. In 1992, he completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic followed by a fellowship in Academic General Internal Medicine from McMaster University where he studied for the Master of Science in Epidemiology under Professor David Sackett. Under the mentorship of Professor Salim Yusuf, Dr. Farkouh studied cardiovascular clinical trials. He completed his cardiovascular fellowship at Mount Sinai in 1998.Dr. Farkouh has designed and conducted numerous pivotal clinical trials including: CHEER (Chest Pain Evaluation in the Emergency Room), TARGET, STATUS and FREEDOM (enrolling). His areas of research include: evaluation of chest pain syndromes, diabetes and heart diseases and the relationship of anti-inflammatory agents and heart disease. Dr. Farkouh is the PI for the BARI 2D and TRIUMPH trials at Mount Sinai. His past appointments include director of the telemetry unit at Mount Sinai, director of the cardiac care unit at New York University and director of the Electrocardiography Core Laboratory at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation. He has been awarded Teacher of the Year in the Department of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Farkouh has been an invited speaker internationally and served on numerous data safety monitoring boards.