According to studies, heart attack survival rates for those who got hospitalized lie at roughly 90% to 97%. The exact figures depend on a number of factors, including type, blockage location, and demographic factors.
What Factors Affect Heart Attack Survival Rate?
Heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions (MI), take place when a blood flow blockage or reduction takes place in an area of the heart. This medical emergency is life-threatening and may lead to further heart damage if these blockages are left untreated.
As mentioned earlier, a heart attack survival rate depends on certain factors. For one, the type of heart attack could play a part. There are two primary types of heart attacks, namely, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which happens when the coronary artery is completely blocked, and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEM), when arteries get partial blocks and severe blood flow reductions. While NSTEMI is slightly more prevalent than STEMI heart attacks, the latter is the most severe type.
Coronary artery spasms and coronary artery dissections are two other types of heart attacks that are less common.
Generally, survival likelihood depends on the affected arteries. Blockages in the LAD (left anterior descending) artery leads to the highest death risk. A STEMI heart attack on the LAD artery, which is also referred to as "the widowmaker," is linked to a heightened risk of stroke and heart failure.
Aside from this, a heart attack's outcome also depends on the extent of death of the heart muscle. This is largely affected by the specifically blocked coronary artery, as well as the artery location when the blockage takes place and the time that passes before the reopening of the artery.
A blockage that takes place close to the artery's origin will affect more quantities of the heart muscle compared if the blockage takes place further away.
Other factors that affect heart attack survival rates are sex differences, period length before receiving treatment, age, and heart attack history. All of these could contribute to the outcome of a heart attack.
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How To Reduce Heart Attack Risk, Boost Survival
When one experiences a heart attack, it is crucial to immediately seek medical assistance. However, the best thing to do is still to prevent the event from happening.
To prevent or reduce heart attack risk, it is crucial to make lifestyle changes. According to statistics, 47% of Americans harbor at least one of three primary heart disease risk factors. These are, namely, smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
It is necessary to get regular cholesterol and blood pressure checkups. In cases where values are high, it is important to lower these levels with physical activity and proper diet. Some medications may also be necessary, as provided by medical practitioners.
Other lifestyle changes may also be necessary. These include quitting smoking, eating a fruit- and vegetable-rich diet, limiting intake of sweets, red meat, and sweetened beverages, limiting alcohol consumption, and engaging in daily physical activity.
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