Heart Attack
A heart attack happens when there is a sudden complete blockage of an artery that supplies blood to an area of your heart. As a result, some of your heart muscle begins to die. Without early medical treatment, this damage can be permanent.
Symptoms
The underlying cause of a heart attack is coronary heart disease (CHD).
Some people may not know they have CHD until they have a heart attack. For others, a heart attack can happen after weeks, months or years of treatment for CHD.
CHD is the slow build-up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the arteries that supply your heart muscle with blood. These fatty deposits, called plaque, gradually clog and narrow the inside channel of the arteries. It is a process that begins early in life and continues over the years.
A heart attack usually begins when an area of plaque cracks. Blood cells and other parts of your blood stick over the damaged area and form a clot that suddenly and completely blocks the blood flow to your heart muscle. If your artery remains blocked, the lack of blood permanently damages the area of your heart muscle supplied by that artery.
DiagnosesHeart attack warning signs vary
With a heart attack, every minute counts. Know the warning signs of a heart attack and what to do if you or someone around you experience the warning signs.
If you have chest pain or other warning signs of a heart attack that are severe, get worse quickly, or last 10 minutes, get help fast. Call Triple Zero (000)* now!
*If calling Triple Zero (000) does not work on your mobile phone, try 112.
Heart Attack Diagnosis
If you are rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack, your health care team will do a number of tests to find out if you are having a heart attack. These tests will help them to decide the best treatment for you.
Symptoms
The underlying cause of a heart attack is coronary heart disease (CHD).
Some people may not know they have CHD until they have a heart attack. For others, a heart attack can happen after weeks, months or years of treatment for CHD.
CHD is the slow build-up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the arteries that supply your heart muscle with blood. These fatty deposits, called plaque, gradually clog and narrow the inside channel of the arteries. It is a process that begins early in life and continues over the years.
A heart attack usually begins when an area of plaque cracks. Blood cells and other parts of your blood stick over the damaged area and form a clot that suddenly and completely blocks the blood flow to your heart muscle. If your artery remains blocked, the lack of blood permanently damages the area of your heart muscle supplied by that artery.
DiagnosesHeart attack warning signs vary
With a heart attack, every minute counts. Know the warning signs of a heart attack and what to do if you or someone around you experience the warning signs.
If you have chest pain or other warning signs of a heart attack that are severe, get worse quickly, or last 10 minutes, get help fast. Call Triple Zero (000)* now!
*If calling Triple Zero (000) does not work on your mobile phone, try 112.
Heart Attack Diagnosis
If you are rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack, your health care team will do a number of tests to find out if you are having a heart attack. These tests will help them to decide the best treatment for you.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
During an ECG test, electrical leads are placed on your chest, arms and legs. These leads detect small electrical signals and produce a tracing on graph paper that illustrates the electrical impulses travelling through your heart muscle. - Blood tests
- Chest X-ray
- Angiogram
This is a special X-ray that shows whether or not your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked. Under a local anaesthetic, a small tube (catheter) is inserted into an artery in your arm or groin and guided into the heart. Dye is injected through the catheter into the coronary arteries and X-rays are taken. The X-rays give detailed information about the condition of these arteries.
Strokes
Summary
A stroke is a medical emergency. When an artery to the brain blocks or ruptures, brain cells in the area die from lack of oxygen. Sometimes, this can result in death. Symptoms or warning signs of a stroke include sudden blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes, numbness, weakness or paralysis in the face, arm or leg, difficulty speaking or understanding, dizziness, difficulty swallowing and severe headache.
A stroke interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. A blood clot may block a blood vessel or artery, or a blood vessel wall might break. Brain cells in the immediate area are killed because they are deprived of oxygen. This dead area is known as an infarct. Without prompt treatment, the area of brain cells surrounding the infarct will also die.
In 2012, Australians suffered around 60,000 new and recurrent strokes. Stroke is Australia’s second biggest killer after heart disease.
There are sometimes quite specific warning signs before a stroke. By recognising the warning signs and taking action, you may be able to prevent a stroke or reduce its severity. It is important to be able to recognise the warning signs and get medical help as quickly as possible.
Diagnosis of stroke emergency
The FAST test is an easy way to recognise and remember the most common signs of stroke. Using theFAST test involves asking three simple questions. If the person has a problem with any of these functions, dial triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
FAST stands for:
Symptoms of a stroke
The warning signs or symptoms of stroke may occur alone or in combination. They may last a few seconds or hours, and may or may not disappear. The severity of the symptoms depends on the area of the brain affected and the cause.
Symptoms of a stroke can include:
A stroke is a medical emergency. When an artery to the brain blocks or ruptures, brain cells in the area die from lack of oxygen. Sometimes, this can result in death. Symptoms or warning signs of a stroke include sudden blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes, numbness, weakness or paralysis in the face, arm or leg, difficulty speaking or understanding, dizziness, difficulty swallowing and severe headache.
A stroke interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. A blood clot may block a blood vessel or artery, or a blood vessel wall might break. Brain cells in the immediate area are killed because they are deprived of oxygen. This dead area is known as an infarct. Without prompt treatment, the area of brain cells surrounding the infarct will also die.
In 2012, Australians suffered around 60,000 new and recurrent strokes. Stroke is Australia’s second biggest killer after heart disease.
There are sometimes quite specific warning signs before a stroke. By recognising the warning signs and taking action, you may be able to prevent a stroke or reduce its severity. It is important to be able to recognise the warning signs and get medical help as quickly as possible.
Diagnosis of stroke emergency
The FAST test is an easy way to recognise and remember the most common signs of stroke. Using theFAST test involves asking three simple questions. If the person has a problem with any of these functions, dial triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately.
FAST stands for:
- Facial weakness – can the person smile? Does their mouth or eye droop on one side?
- Arm weakness – can the person raise both arms?
- Speech difficulty – can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
- Time to act – act FAST and call 000 immediately.
Symptoms of a stroke
The warning signs or symptoms of stroke may occur alone or in combination. They may last a few seconds or hours, and may or may not disappear. The severity of the symptoms depends on the area of the brain affected and the cause.
Symptoms of a stroke can include:
- a numb or weak feeling in the face, arm or leg
- trouble speaking or understanding
- unexplained dizziness
- blurred or poor vision in one or both eyes
- loss of balance or an unexplained fall
- difficulty swallowing
- headache (usually severe or of abrupt onset) or unexplained change in the pattern of headaches
- confusion.