Can you survive massive heart attack

A CAS can occasionally lead to a heart attack if the spasm is complete and long-lasting. CAS is sometimes referred to as vasospastic or variant angina, and often happens when a person is at rest or asleep. Additionally, coronary artery spasms often happen to people without common risk factors like high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

So, quitting smoking can reduce your risk of CAS. But knowing where you can get the right heart care is one thing you can do. Our nationally recognized cardiac centers include:. Each year about , Americans have a heart attack, and about , die of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This means heart disease is responsible for one in every four deaths, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women. There are many things you can do for heart attack prevention — and the good news is that little changes can make a big difference. Much of the improvement in heart-attack survival can be chalked up to the gradual understanding in the s and s that the main culprit behind heart attacks is the sudden formation of artery-blocking blood clots, and the new treatments that emerged from this knowledge.

Growing use of aspirin, clot-busting drugs, and artery-opening angioplasty in the early stages of a heart attack account for more than half of the reduction in heart attack deaths since , according to an analysis by Stanford researchers.

The improvement in survival hasn't come without a cost. More people surviving heart attacks means more people living with scarred and damaged hearts. This has contributed to the steady increase in heart failure, which now accounts for more than one million hospitalizations a year in the U. More important, of course, is finding ways to prevent heart attacks and strokes from happening in the first place. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Thanks for visiting. Certain studies suggest that getting enough exercise may not only help prevent a heart attack, but also increase your chances of survival if you have one. It even appears that the more exercise you get and the more intense your exercise, the better your odds are of surviving a heart attack. One possible explanation for this connection is that when you exercise a lot, extra blood vessels may grow around the heart.

Known as collateral blood vessels, they provide a way for blood to flow even if an artery gets blocked. Certain complications may arise after a heart attack, depending on the location and extent of damage to your heart.

Arrhythmias happen when the electrical signals that control heartbeats become abnormal or disorganized. An arrhythmia may cause heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, possibly leading to serious medical problems. An electrical disturbance can cause your heart to stop beating altogether.

This condition can be fatal without immediate treatment. Damage to your heart from a heart attack or coronary heart disease can make the muscle weaker, impacting its ability to pump enough blood. This may be a temporary or permanent problem. A heart attack may damage one of the four valves that keep blood flowing in the correct direction through your heart. Valve problems can lead to an abnormal heart murmur when a doctor listens to your heart, as well as fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and swelling in your ankles and feet, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Depression is common after a heart attack, along with fear and anger, according to the American Heart Association. A heart attack is often a devastating event that severely disrupts your life. Still, many people find ways to live a full, enjoyable life after having one. Some people experience their heart attack as a wake-up call that they need to make certain lifestyle changes. Eating habits may need to be changed after a heart attack, along with lifestyle factors like stress and physical activity.

Recovering from a heart attack can be physically and emotionally taxing, with some people experiencing depression stemming from their limitations. It may take some recovery time before you can resume sexual activity, and you may need to make certain modifications to your sexual practices. Impaired sexual function is common after a heart attack, yet many people are reluctant to discuss this problem with their doctor. You may improve your sexual function by working on your overall fitness and endurance.

Many doctors tout the benefits of sex and intimacy for heart attack survivors, such as stress reduction, improved emotional well-being, and lower blood pressure. The average age for a first heart attack is Fewer than 10 percent of heart attacks are fatal, according to Harvard Medical School. Still, the broader category of heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for , deaths each year, or 1 in 4 deaths.

The burden of heart disease also varies widely across U. The rate of death from cardiovascular disease is nearly twice as high in Mississippi, which has the highest rate, compared with Puerto Rico, which has the lowest rate. Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana have the next highest rates of death from cardiovascular disease, while Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Hawaii have the next lowest.

While the overall risk of heart disease varies among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States, there is less data on heart attacks specifically. According to the American Heart Association, the rate of cardiovascular disease in Black Americans is about 23 percent higher in men, and 33 percent higher in women, compared with the overall U.

Non-Hispanic Black Americans have the highest rate of death from heart disease at per , people, according to the CDC.

Researchers have found that among U. But the hospital readmission rate for Black patients was 4. Heart attacks are usually caused by coronary artery disease CAD , which may be related to other symptoms and events that are sometimes mistaken for a heart attack:.

Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function, which is deadly unless normal heart rhythm is restored within a few minutes. This serious, chronic condition can often be managed with medications and lifestyle changes, per the American Heart Association. The following organizations and websites provide information about heart attacks and heart disease, along with support options and ways to get involved in advocacy.

AHA is the leading resource in the United States for all things related to cardiac health. This national patient-centered organization is dedicated to helping women with heart disease. Their website is full of information on preventing, diagnosing, and treating heart disease in women, and boasts nearly patient support groups in 30 states. Find out more about No Life Half Lived. This is a matter of life and health.

Read our strategy. See the latest vacancies. Search vacancies near you. Get in touch with any enquiries. Contact us. You will be closely monitored in the first few days after your heart attack.

Depending on the severity of your heart attack, the treatment you have received and your home situation, you will usually be in hospital for 3 to 5 days. For most people, after a couple of days, your heart will settle down, the risk of another heart attack lessens and intensive monitoring can be stopped.