Many people are likely to experience some sort of cardiac-event at some point in their life and the symptoms can be painful and distressing. One of the most common and serious causes of pain related to heart-illness is atherosclerosis – which is caused by the coronary-arteries which remove waste products from this region of the body becoming narrowed – resulting in blood vessel walls becoming hardened.
Another painful condition is angina, which is caused by an absence of blood-flow to the heart muscle resulting in reduced blood-flow. A reduced blood-flow can also create a stock-pile of unwanted carbon dioxide and lactic acid – which, in tandem with reduced oxygen can cause cramp-like sensations in the chest.
Angina related events can be brought on by exercise and bodily exertion, but will generally cease when the person rests, and exists in two forms: stable angina and unstable angina. Out of the two – unstable angina is more serious as it is caused by blockages in the heart’s blood-vessels, and is accompanied by pain levels that tend to fluctuate.
The most serious type of heart-event is known as myocardial infarction or heart attack. This happens when blood-flow to the heart-muscles stops completely, often resulting in immediate heart-failure and death.
Of course the first step in safeguarding against cardiac-events is to recognise the symptoms, so you are aware of when you may be at risk. The symptoms are numerous and include: pain in the chest, pale and sweaty skin, a feeling of constriction in the chest, pain in the throat and jaw, an increased heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness or confusion.
If you experience these symptoms it is best to immediately call an ambulance, and not take any risks. They could be caused by something else, but chances are they’ll be caused by some sort of heart-related episode.
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