Sqad Or Anyone Else With Professional Experience In Heart Attacks

[phleb]

I have a few questions.

1. What is the main cause of a heart attack.
2. What causes the tubes to get blocked.
3. what does the stent do? and what is it exactly?
4. After a heart attack, what are the risks of having another soon?
5. Can you tell me everything that contributes to a heart attack.
6. How long does one live after a heart attack?
7. How many days/weeks rest is required after a heart attack and stent?
8. What can one do to avoid another, and get a better quality of life?

Many thanks, and sorry for all the questions.

[black_cat51]

1)smoking, cholesterol, heart disease, drinking
2) a blood clot - furred up or hardened arteries make it more likely
stent holds the tube open so blood can flow through more normally
3) higher if you don't change your lifestyle
4) Gender, age, lifestyle, other illnesses, medications, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, weight, diet
6) how long is a piece of string? Some people minutes/seconds, some people years
7) none really - the days of bedrest post heart attack are long gone
8) avoid the things that caused it; change lifestyle

[black_cat51]

whoops, mixed the numbers up somewhat there!

[Buenchico]

While you're waiting for Sqad:

Causes of a heart attack:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Heart-attack/Pages/Causes.aspx
Click the link to "Coronary heart disease (CHD)" for more detail.
Click 'Treatment', 'Recovery' and 'Prevention' for further information relevant to your questions.

Information about stents:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Coronary-angioplasty/Pages/Introduction.aspx
(Click 'How It's Performed' and 'Recovery' for more information).

Probably best of all, a superb document from Papworth Hospital, explaining about coronary artery disease, what stents do and geting back to full fitness after having one inserted:
http://www.papworthhospital.nhs.uk/docs/leaflets/PI58-Returning-to-fitness-after-a-coronary-stent-procedure.pdf

[Sqad]

There is little that i can add to the posters above and the links provided.

If you have any questions not covered by the above, then please post.

[phleb]

Thank you all. X