New Delhi: Popular actor-comedian, Raju Srivastava, died on Wednesday morning after being admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for more than a month. He was 58 years old.
On August 10, Srivastava fell while working out at a gym and was taken to the hospital. He had suffered a heart attack and was later placed on a ventilator after showing slight improvements. According to Srivastava's nephew Kushal, he had another heart attack on Wednesday morning, following which he could not survive.
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when a portion of the heart muscle does not receive enough blood. This is caused by due to the blockage of the arteries (coronary arteries) which supply blood to the heart muscles.
The blockage is mainly caused by an accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other chemicals in the arteries leading to the heart. Without blood flow, the affected heart muscle will begin to die. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, a heart attack can cause permanent heart damage and death.
Heart Attack: Causes
When one or more coronary arteries get clogged, it results in a heart attack. A coronary artery can narrow over time owing to the accumulation of numerous chemicals, including cholesterol (atherosclerosis). This is known as coronary artery disease. One of these plaques can rupture during a heart attack, releasing cholesterol and other chemicals into the bloodstream. At the location of the breach, a blood clot develops. Larger clots might entirely obstruct blood flow through the coronary artery.
Factors associated with increased risk of a Heart attack include:
- Age - increase in age weakens the heart muscles or build-up of plagues
- High cholesterol levels
- Diabetes
- Genetics - family history increases the risk
- Heart surgery
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Consumption of tobacco in any form, either chewable or smoked
- Extreme stress
Heart Attack: Symptoms
Symptoms of a heart attack vary. Some people have mild symptoms, while others may have severe symptoms. Again, some people have no symptoms.
Common heart attack symptoms include:
- Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing, or aching- Most heart attacks are characterised by discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes and reappears. The discomfort might manifest as pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly
- Cold sweat
- Fatigue
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath- This often comes along with chest discomfort, but the shortness of breath also can happen before that.
Women may have unusual symptoms such as short or intense discomfort in the neck, arm, or back. Sudden cardiac arrest is sometimes the initial indication of a heart attack.
Some heart attacks occur unexpectedly. However, many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days, or weeks before the event. Angina (chest discomfort or pressure) that persists and does not go away with rest may be an early warning indication.
Heart Attack: Treatment
Heart attack can be treated in the following ways:
- Angioplasty
- Angioplasty, Laser
- Artificial heart valve surgery
- Atherectomy
- Bypass surgery
- Cardiomyoplasty
- Heart transplant
- Minimally invasive heart surgery
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Stent procedure
- Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR)
Heart Attack: Some preventive measures
Some preventive measures to overcome heart attack risks include:
- Quit smoking
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet
- Stay active: get plenty of exercises
- Get plenty of good quality sleep
- Keep diabetes under control
- Keep alcohol intake down
- Maintain blood cholesterol at optimum levels
- Keep blood pressure in control
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Avoid stress and learn how to manage stress