Myocardial infarction is a very scary disease that can lead directly to death if detection and treatment are delayed, but did you know that there are also warning signs of myocardial infarction?
It has been reported that half of patients who have had a myocardial infarction experience some kind of warning sign
Heart disease, including myocardial infarction, is the second leading cause of death among Japanese people and is largely related to Westernized diets, lifestyle habits, and mental stress. Approximately 40,000 people die from myocardial infarction every year in Japan
In particular, the number of cases is on the rise among people in their prime working years, so they need to be especially careful compared to other generations
In this article, we will introduce the signs, causes, treatments, and precautions for myocardial infarction
If you are concerned about any potential illnesses due to poor lifestyle habits or lack of regular exercise, please read to the end
table of contents
1. What kind of disease is myocardial infarction?
Myocardial infarction is a disease in which a part of the blood vessels surrounding the heart suddenly becomes blocked, causing myocardial necrosis, leading to a decline in cardiac function and severe arrhythmia, and eventually death
It tends to be more common in the colder months of autumn and winter than in spring and summer. By gender, it has been reported that the incidence is increasing among men in their 30s to 60s and women in their 70s and above
In men, the cause is often related to lifestyle habits such as smoking and working overtime late at night, while in women, the decline in female hormones that accompanies menopause reduces the protective effect of blood vessels
Furthermore, men tend to experience the onset of the disease on Mondays when they start work, while women tend to experience the onset of the disease on Saturdays when they are more likely to feel stressed due to housework and caring for family members
2. Myocardial infarction is one of the causes of heart failure
When a myocardial infarction occurs, the heart muscle is unable to pump properly
As a result, the non-necrotic areas of myocardium take over the function of the entire heart, placing a heavy burden on the heart and causing heart failure
When you have heart failure, the amount of blood pumped from your heart decreases, causing fluid to accumulate in your lungs and making you feel short of breath. Furthermore, blood flow to your kidneys is also insufficient, leading to swelling and weight gain
Be aware that cardiomyopathy, which reduces the heart's ability to pump blood, valvular heart disease, which causes the heart valves to not function properly, and congenital heart disease can also cause heart failure
3. Points to check for signs of myocardial infarction
It has been reported that approximately half of patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction did not seek medical attention even though they felt something was wrong with their heart, and the disease developed later
Here are some things to check to avoid missing the signs of a myocardial infarction
3-1. Chest tightness/pain
Symptoms that may indicate a myocardial infarction include:
● Chest pain, tightness, or pressure lasting from a few minutes to about 10 minutes
Heartburn
● Pain in the arms, shoulders, back, jaw, or teeth
● Pain appears or worsens when going up and down stairs or walking
Pain felt outside the heart is called radiating pain, and typically radiates from the left arm to the left shoulder, but pain can also occur in the upper body, such as the right arm, right shoulder, both shoulders, or jaw
Approximately half of patients who experience a myocardial infarction experience a sudden onset, so warning signs do not always occur in all patients
3-2. Checklist of symptoms to check for myocardial infarction
To avoid panicking and wondering, "Is this a myocardial infarction?", be sure to check the basic symptoms
A symptom of myocardial infarction is characterized by pain that does not subside. If detection and treatment are delayed, the survival rate decreases and there is a risk of death
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call an ambulance immediately:
Sudden, severe pain in the chest or back
Sudden shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
* Chest pain that feels like tightness or pressure lasts for 2-3 minutes
● Severe palpitations
4. Common treatments for myocardial infarction and cardiac regenerative medicine
After a myocardial infarction occurs, necrosis of myocardial cells begins approximately 20 minutes after the onset of myocardial infarction
Once necrosis occurs, the heart cannot be restored
Here we will explain the general treatments for myocardial infarction and cardiac regenerative medicine
4-1. General treatments for myocardial infarction
Common treatments for myocardial infarction include drug therapy, cardiac catheterization, and coronary artery bypass surgery
● Drug therapy is essential for the treatment of myocardial infarction
It widens the coronary arteries to promote blood flow, relieving the patient's pain and preventing new blood clots from forming
● Cardiac catheterization is a treatment that widens narrowed blood vessels that cause myocardial infarction without the use of a scalpel
● Coronary artery bypass surgery is commonly known as heart surgery
This method involves connecting blood vessels taken from the patient's own chest, legs, etc. to extremely narrowed or blocked blood vessels to ensure blood flow
4-2. Treatment using regenerative medicine
In recent years, cardiac regenerative medicine using iPS cells (pluripotent cells that can be transformed into cells for various bodily tissues and organs) has been expected to be a new treatment
For patients with severe heart failure due to myocardial infarction, the only effective treatments available are heart transplants and artificial heart assist therapy. Furthermore, Japan has a serious shortage of donors, making heart transplants difficult
Therefore, iPS cells are used to create sheets of cardiomyocytes, which can then be transplanted into the heart to improve its function. Clinical trials for transplantation therapy are currently underway, and it is expected that this could become a new treatment for severe heart failure
5. Causes and countermeasures for myocardial infarction
The causes of myocardial infarction are largely related to aging and everyday lifestyle habits
First, take a look at your physical condition, diet, and daily habits. If you notice any problems with your health or lifestyle, try to make improvements
5-1. Causes of myocardial infarction
The cause of myocardial infarction is arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis refers to a condition in which blood vessels become fragile due to aging, smoking, and bad cholesterol
The risk factors for myocardial infarction are as follows:
● Hypertension
● Diabetes
● Dyslipidemia (hyperlipidemia)
● Smoking
● Stress
Please note that if you have three or more of these risk factors, your risk of developing a myocardial infarction is 30 times higher than if you had none
5-2. Measures and prevention methods to prevent myocardial infarction
To prevent myocardial infarction, it is important to improve and treat lifestyle-related diseases
● Avoid overeating and be mindful of a balanced diet
● Cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke or quit smoking
● If you are already undergoing treatment for a lifestyle-related disease, do not stop treatment without permission
● In winter, be aware of temperature differences and take measures to protect yourself from the cold
● Take a specific health checkup once a year
Specific health checkups are health checkups that focus on metabolic syndrome
Health insurance subscribers aged 40 to 74 should undergo a specific health checkup once a year to prevent lifestyle-related diseases
6. Summary: The signs of myocardial infarction may not always occur, so take precautions by adjusting your lifestyle
Approximately half of patients who have had a myocardial infarction admit to having had warning signs
However, myocardial infarction can occur suddenly without any warning signs, making it difficult to predict when it will occur
It is a very scary disease that can lead to death or heart failure if detection and treatment are delayed
To prevent myocardial infarction, it is important to first prevent arteriosclerosis, which is the cause of myocardial infarction
To live a healthy life every day, please review your daily lifestyle habits and be mindful of annual specific checkups, disease prevention, and early detection
In addition, regenerative medicine using stem cells etc.A treatment method that has been proven effective in the field of preventing myocardial infarctionis.
Although research and clinical trials are still ongoing, regenerative medicine using stem cells and other methods is currently being used in actual treatments
It is likely that this treatment will become even more familiar in the future. We hope that this opportunity will spark your interest in regenerative medicine, and that you will not only gain knowledge about it, but also consider actually undergoing treatment
Knee pain and neuralgia do not go away easily. She has been suffering from illness and beauty for many years. Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns regarding your daily life.
Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that does not place a burden on the body, and provides pre-counseling for those who cannot immediately start treatment.
"I'm curious, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary now." You may be at risk of wandering life and death without realizing it, so Please feel free to contact us.
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