heart and blood vessel disorders
Acute Coronary Syndromes (Heart Attack; Myocardial Infarction; Unstable Angina)
Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndromes
Symptoms of the acute coronary syndromes are similar, and it is usually impossible to distinguish the syndromes based on symptoms alone. are the same as those of Symptoms —people typically have intermittent pressure, or an ache beneath the breastbone (sternum). People often interpret the sensation as discomfort or heaviness rather than pain. Discomfort also may occur in either shoulder or down the inside of either arm, through the back, and in the throat, jaw, or teeth. However, in people with unstable angina, the pattern changes. People experience more frequent or more severe episodes of angina, or episodes occur at rest or after less physical exertion. About two of three people who have heart attacks experience unstable angina, shortness of breath, or fatigue a few days or weeks beforehand. Such a change in the pattern of chest pain discomfort may culminate in a heart attack. With aheart attack,the most recognizable symptom is usually pain in the middle of the chest that may spread to the back, jaw, or left arm. Less often, the pain spreads to the right arm. The pain may occur in one or more of these places and not in the chest at all. The pain of a heart attack is similar to the pain of angina but is generally more severe, lasts longer, and is not relieved by rest ornitroglycerin. Less often, pain is felt in the abdomen, where it may be mistaken for indigestion, especially because belching may bring partial or temporary relief. For unknown reasons, women often have different symptoms, sometimes described as atypical chest pain, that are less likely to be accurately diagnosed as a heart problem. About one third of people who have a heart attack do not have chest pain. Such people are more likely to be women, people who are not white, those who are older than 75, those who have Heart Failure (HF) or Other symptoms include a feeling of faintness or actually fainting, sudden heavy sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, and a heavy pounding of the heart (palpitations). During a heart attack, a person may become restless, sweaty, and anxious and may experience a sense of impending doom. The lips, hands, or feet may turn slightly blue. Older people may have unusual symptoms. In many, the most obvious symptom is breathlessness. Symptoms may resemble those of a stomach upset or a stroke. Older people may become disoriented. Nonetheless, about two thirds of older people have chest pain, as do younger people. Older people, especially women, often take longer than younger people to admit they are ill or to seek medical help. Despite all the possible symptoms, as many as one of five people who have a heart attack have only mild symptoms or none at all. Such a silent heart attack may be recognized only when ECG is routinely done some time afterward. During the early hours of a heart attack, heart murmurs and other abnormal heart sounds may be heard through a stethoscope. People who have a heart attack may also have Complications of an Acute Coronary Syndrome that can be long-lasting. The complications of acute coronary syndromes depend on how much of the heart muscle is damaged which is a direct result of where a coronary artery was blocked and how long this artery was blocked. If the blockage affects a large amount of heart muscle, the heart will not pump effectively and can become enlarged, possibly leading to 