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7 things that could give you a heart attack

Credits: Max Pixel

Although there are numerous causes for heart attacks, some of them are more frequent than others and can happen to absolutely anyone, at absolutely any age -even to someone who appears to be in great physical condition.

Every year in the UK, around 42,000 people under the age of 75 die from cardiovascular disease. Death by heart attack is ten times more common than death by road accident. Heart attacks happen when the heart stops sending blood to the vital organs, the patient stops breathing and they lose consciousness.

It is also important to know that one in two victims of heart attacks present with warning signs prior to an attack during the preceding month, leaving them enough time to seek treatment. Among the warning signs for a heart attack are chest pains, losses of consciousness as well as quickly becoming breathless during physical effort.

There are two causes in particular that cause 90% of all heart attacks. Firstly we have ventricular fibrillation -or problems with heart rate -which leads to the heart beating too fast or having an irregular heartbeat. The second most frequent cause is myocardial infarct, which can, if it is not treated in time, cause the heart to stop completely. This is a question of a blockage of one (or several) of the arteries, which prevents the blood from getting to the heart.

The remaining 10% of heart attacks have five different causes, which are more rare: drowning (respiratory insufficiency), electrocution, hypothermia (cardiocirculatory arrest) and even more rarely, overdose and intoxication.

Sources: MedisiteSanté Medecine

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