Heart Attack Research
A heart attack is a condition in which an artery to the heart has blockage that cuts off the supply of oxygen to the heart, causing dangerous damage to the heart muscle. When the blood supply is blocked or severely cut off for more than a few minutes, the heart tissue will die. The amount of damage is dependent upon the amount of heart tisue that dies. If more than half is affected, the heart cannot function and the person is in serious condition or dies. Most blockages are from blood clots that will happen in an artery that is already narrowed and clogged from atherosclerosis.
Most people have warnings of impending heart attacks by angina that is a condition of chest pain. It usually happens after some mild exertion or could happen with very little exertion. The pain from angina is usually at the breast bone or could be more severe and have pain in the jaw, the left shoulder and arm. The pain of a heart attack could be similar to angina, but much more severe and is not relieved by nitroglycerin. Some people mistake indigestion with a heart attack. There are many other symptoms a person might have such as irregular heart beat or difficulty breathing, faintness, disorientation, or it could be a mild attack that has no symptoms at all, and could only be discovered later in a routine physical of an ECG.
Treatment must begin promptly by first having the patient chew on an aspirin. Treatment should be in a hospital that has a special unit for heart attack patients. There are procedures that are in place to help the patient in every way possible, and many patients are able to recover and carry on a fairly normal lifestyle. But the emphasis should be on prevention. It is much easier to prevent a heart attack than to treat it. The prevention of a heart attack means a change in lifestyle from poor habits such as smoking, no exercise, poor nutrition and no weight control. A healthy lifestyle means an exercise program, proper nutrition and weight control. After a heart attack it may be too late for some aspects of this program, depending on how severe the attack was. Proper nutrition means to eat no refined glucose or carbohydrates, eat fruits, vegetables, lean protein, cold water fish, sprouted grain bread, and fiber. Special foods to eat are two tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed in water, soy milk or fruit juice, and also to eat celery stalks or celery juice. Celery will clean the arteries. Flax seed has multiple benefits which include omega 3 oils (the "good" fat). Flax seed lowers LDL ("bad" cholesterol and increases HDL ("good" cholesterol), lowers triglycerides, and helps eliminate constipation. Food supplements to take are cod liver oil and multivitamins. An exercise program should consist of thirty minute periods, three to six times per week. Consult with your doctor before starting this program.
