Why should I know this?

Heart attacks kill.

Once you know what a heart attack is, you can make a good decision early.

They can be treated in good time

Many Kenyans have died from this and continue to.

You can save someone’s life.

Heart attack 101

A heart attack is a blockage of the vessel carrying blood to your heart.

The vessel can be partially blocked or fully blocked.

The symptoms feel the same.

When the vessel is fully blocked it is more life threatening than the other because your heart muscle is not getting any oxygen or nutrients.

You CANNOT tell the difference without getting tests done.

Know WHAT TO DO.

Who can get a heart attack?

  • Anyone over age 35

    It can affect any adult .The higher your age, the more likely.

  • High blood pressure

    You can get a heart attack:

    If you have been told by a doctor you have high blood pressure on many occasions and you are taking some medicines for it

    OR

    If you check your blood pressure in a chemist/at home or at the doctors on different occasions and your told it is always high but are not on medicines.

  • You smoke or are constantly exposed to smoke- (Cigarette /Vape/Weed)

    If you smoke or are exposed to smoke from any of the above, you can have a heart attack

  • Diabetes

    If you have diabetes, you can get a heart attack.

  • Overweight

    If you are overweight you can get a heart attack.

    If you have fat around your belly or if your *BMI is over 30 you are at risk.

    *BMI is a measure that you can calculate using google. All you need to know is your weight and height.

  • You have high cholesterol

    If you have had a blood test and have been told you have high cholesterol you can have a heart attack.

    Even without a blood test, if you eat unhealthy most of the time, there’s a high chance of having high cholesterol and a heart attack

  • Kidney disease

    If you have kidney disease or if you are on dialysis you have a high chance of having a heart attack.

  • You have heart disease

    If your doctor has told you that you have a heart disease, you could have a heart attack.

  • Untreated HIV

    Being HIV positive and not on treatment can increase your chance of a heart attack.

    Get tested and if positive, start treatment early .

    DO NOT DELAY the decision.

  • Excess alcohol use

    Excess alcohol will increase the chance of a heart attack

  • Cocaine

    Using cocaine will increase the likelihood of a heart attack and suddenly dying irrespective of age.

Having more than 1 of the above, increases your chances of a heart attack.

Changing your lifestyle, will prevent a heart attack.

Exercising, taking your medications, losing some weight, quitting smoking, drugs and alcohol and eating a healthy diet with vegetables will protect you from a heart attack.

How do I know I am having a heart attack?

  • Chest pain/pressure

    Chest pain on the left side of your chest is the most common sign of a heart attack.

    It is a very very severe pain that feels like a pressure. (Like someone put a heavy load on your chest)

    It may start when your busy moving up and down or when your resting or can wake you up at night.

    The usual pain killers don’t make this pain better.

    It does not get worse by breathing in and out.

    If your elderly (over 65) the pain can start on the right side of your chest in some cases.

  • Feel like vomiting

    The severe chest pain may be accompanied with the feeling of nausea or you may even vomit.

  • Sweating

    In addition to the chest pain you may feel sweaty without having done much.

    Your skin may just feel wet and you dont have a fever.

  • Trouble breathing

    You might feel short of breath or like your struggling to breath.

    This is in addition to the chest pain/pressure

  • Jaw pain

    The chest pain can move from your chest to your jaw/neck.

    This pain is not related to eating or cavities.

  • Pain in your arm

    The chest pain may move down your left arm.

    In some cases, like the elderly, the pain can move down your right arm.

    Note this pain does not change when you move your arm around.

  • Heart burn/indigestion*

    This can be a sign of a heart attack if your

    elderly

    a woman

    diabetic

What to do if you think you are having a heart attack.See below:

  • Take any dose between 162 to 325mg of aspirin immediately, if it is available. Do not take if allergic.

    It will not harm even if it turns out that you don’t have a heart attack.

    If NOT available, start preparing to go to a hospital immediately.DO NOT delay for any reason.

    You have a 90 minute time frame during which your life can be saved if a vessel taking blood to to your heart is fully blocked.

    Because there is no way to know what is happening to your heart, DO NOT WASTE TIME.

    Even if you are not sure just go to hospital and have them tell you its nothing, rather than suddenly die at home or work.

    If you have a GTN spray or tablet at home use it under your tongue and repeat every 5 MINUTES to help with pain. Maximum-3 times.

    (People who have had heart attacks before or heart problems are more likely to have GTN lying around, so don’t worry if you don’t have it.)

  • Get to the hospital immediately. Let someone know, incase you are too unwell.

    Don’t sit in traffic. If your in jam , call an ambulance to get you. Do not try to make it, if in jam. People have died on the way.

    Ambulance contacts;

    E-Plus ; 0700 395 395 or 0738 395 395

    Kenyatta national hospital ambulance; 020 2726300, 2726450/1-5, 2726550, 0738606409, 020 272 5272

    Avenue hospital ambulance

    020-3743858, 0711 060 000, 0732 175 000

    Critical care ambulances

    0716 400 500, 0728 918 000, 0735 844 904

    St Johns ambulance

    Main Hotline 072-1225285

    Do NOT choose hospitals. GO TO the NEAREST hospital.

    When your life is on the line the hospital does NOT matter.

    They can stabilize you and move you to where you can afford. Let them know when you arrive.

    Don’t line up when you reach.

    Let the staff know what you are feeling immediately.

  • The staff will do a test called an ECG.

    This is a test that is performed by putting stickers and wires on your chest and printing out a tracing of your heart beat on a graph-like paper.

    Tell the doctor any illness you are suffering from. Be very honest and be very direct.

    A blood test will be taken to know if it is a heart attack.

  • If it is a major heart attack, you will be given some extra tablets and a heart doctor will be called to unblock the vessel .Your chances of surviving are high if done in the 90 minute time frame.

    If you are far from a place with a heart doctor, and are having a major heart attack, you will be given medicine to try unblock the vessel while they organize to move you to a bigger hospital immediately.

    You might need ICU if it is a major heart attack.

    If its a minor heart attack, they will give you some medication and then you can be seen by a heart doctor at some point.

Heart attack treatment options explained

  • Clot dissolving medicine

    This can be given at the nearest hospital after confirming you have a heart attack.

    This medicine works by dissolving any clot that is blocking the vessels carrying blood to your heart.

    It is given through the vein after the doctor goes through a checklist.

    They will monitor you for a minimum of 24 hours after this medicine is given to ensure you are stable.

    Examples of these medicines are Alteplase and Tenecteplase.

  • A stent

    If you are in a hospital with a cardiologist/heart specialist, they will organize to put a stent in the vessel.

    A stent is a mesh looking device that they put at the point of the blockage in your heart’s vessels.

    They do this after you are given anesthesia. The stent is introduced in your body by making a small entry in your wrist or groin or arm.

    Once they identify the blockage they use a balloon to expand the stent at that point and then remove the balloon and the stent remains in your vessel to keep it open.

    This will restore the blood supply to your heart.

  • Bypass surgery

    This involves taking a vein from a different part of your body to replace the blocked vessel in your heart.

    The vein is connected around the blockage so that blood can bypass/skip the blockage and still reach your heart.

    This is done under anesthesia.

How soon after a heart attack can you resume activity?

You can resume light activity soon after.

Light activity includes easy walking

With time, you can increase your activity gradually.

How quick you resume activity depends on how severe your heart attack was and what treatment you received.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a structured exercise program to help you resume your normal function after a heart attack.

This can be discussed with your doctor.

How soon after a heart attack can you resume intercourse?

The first 2 weeks maybe too early. Some guidelines suggest that once you are able to tolerate climbing 2 flights of steps without chest pain is a good way to gauge yourself. However, this can be discussed with your doctor.

.

When can you start driving again?

Most people can start driving again 2 weeks after a heart attack.

If you had bypass surgery it maybe safer to resume after at least a month.

After heart surgery the scar on your chest takes time to heal and the rapid movement that happens during driving can affect healing. Also pain at the scar can cause you to have an accident.

After a heart attack you will likely be put on tablets

  • For blood pressure

  • For cholesterol

  • For preventing clots(blood thinners)- like aspirin and clopidogrel/ticagrelor

  • For your heart function

It is possible to have a heart attack even after having one previously.

Don’t ignore the signs.