The cases of heart attack and stroke are rising in numbers even in youth due to poor lifestyle and dietary choices. Going for fast foods and packaged items rather than healthy veggies can cause detrimental effects on your physical health. One such effect is the blockage of the heart’s artery. This can lead to heart attack and stroke. The worst kind of heart attack is the widowmaker.
A widowmaker heart attack is a type in which a person has a full blockage in the heart’s biggest artery named the left anterior descending artery. The LAD artery sends blood rich in oxygen to the heart’s left ventricle which then pumps it to the aorta. The body then receives oxygen-rich blood through the aorta.
Medically termed “myocardial infarction”, the heart attack is immediately life-threatening as LAD provides 50 per cent of the heart muscle’s blood supply. Males predominantly have this kind of heart attack which is the reason behind the nomenclature “widowmaker” but women can also suffer this type of attack.
The risk of widowmaker heart attacks is higher in people who have a sedentary lifestyle, a history of heart condition or any other underlying medical conditions like obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The symptoms of the widowmaker heart attack are:
- Lightheadedness.
- Chest pain.
- Upset stomach.
- Pain in other parts of your upper body (arms, shoulders, neck, jaw or back).
- Dizziness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Tiredness.
A buildup of cholesterol and other deposits in the LAD artery or a blood clot blocking it can be the cause of a widowmaker heart attack. The condition can be diagnosed with the following tests-
- Electrocardiogram (EKG).
- Chest X-ray.
- Heart MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
- Blood tests.
- Echocardiogram.
- Cardiac computed tomography (CT).
- Nuclear heart scan.
- Coronary angiogram.
To prevent a widowmaker heart attack, one needs to eat healthy foods such as foods with low sugar content and no saturated fats.
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