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Heart Attack Specialist

Good Heart Medical Group, Inc. Our Services Heart Attack

Good Heart Medical Group, Inc.

Board Certified Cardiologist & Interventional Cardiology located in Santa Ana, CA & Garden Grove, CA

Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States. At Good Heart Medical Group, Inc., Amer Zarka, MD, and the team provide advanced cardiac care for heart attack prevention and rehabilitation for people in Santa Ana and Garden Grove, California. To reduce your risk of heart-related issues or to restore your health following an attack, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

Heart Attack Q & A

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, is the result of blood flow to your heart being interrupted. When this occurs, your heart muscle can be damaged or die.

Coronary artery disease usually causes heart attacks. When you have coronary artery disease, LDL (bad) cholesterol, fat, and plaque have built up inside your arteries, causing them to narrow. 

If plaque within your coronary artery breaks off, a blood clot forms around it. This clot can block blood flow throughout your heart muscle.

Coronary artery tears or spasms can also cause heart attacks. To avoid serious complications such as death and congestive heart failure, seek medical attention immediately if you think you’re having a heart attack.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

Heart attack symptoms can vary — ranging from mild to severe — but often include:

  • Nausea
  • A cold sweat
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Indigestion or heartburn
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Pressure, tightness, or pain in the chest
  • Discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach

Women often have heart attacks without experiencing chest pain or pressure. Instead, it’s common for them to have flu-like symptoms. 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States because they usually associate their symptoms with conditions like aging, the flu, or indigestion.

Some men and women have chest pains called angina before a heart attack occurs.

How do you prevent and treat a heart attack?

To prevent a heart attack, the team at Good Heart Medical Group, Inc., works closely with you to identify and manage any factors that increase your risks. These might include:

  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • A family history
  • High cholesterol
  • Excess weight
  • High blood pressure
  • High-stress lifestyle

If you experience chest pain or think you’re having a heart attack, go to a hospital emergency room so that a specialist can perform tests and monitor your condition.

These include blood tests that look for enzymes indicating heart damage and electrocardiograms to measure your heart’s electrical impulses and rhythm.

Following a heart attack, your provider at Good Heart Medical Group, Inc., might recommend digital imaging tests like chest X-rays, echocardiograms, CT scans, or MRIs to evaluate the damage and isolate the cause of your heart attack. They might also perform a nuclear stress test to review your heart and blood vessel function under exertion.

The team at Good Heart Medical Group, Inc., may recommend lifestyle modifications, medications, or surgical procedures to treat heart attacks and prevent a recurrence.

If you have chest pain or any other symptoms of a heart attack, call Good Heart Medical Group, Inc., or schedule an appointment online today.

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