A heart attack on the legs is the first symptom. Consequences of a heart attack suffered on the legs

Often people suffer a heart attack on their legs. This is due to the fact that this dangerous condition may not be accompanied by significant symptoms and a rapid deterioration in the general condition. Thus, the patient may not even be aware that he has such a dangerous pathology.

It is believed that up to 20% of heart attacks are suffered by patients on their feet, but this does not this state less dangerous. This course creates conditions for re-infarction and the development of other complications that can cause death.

Symptoms

Expressed symptoms There may be no heart attack on the legs of men, as in women. Often this condition is diagnosed by chance, since throughout the entire period of the attack the patient’s condition may remain satisfactory.

Feature suffered a heart attack myocardium is the absence pain syndrome. The symptoms of the pathology in this case are not specific. A person may feel pressure in the chest, but this discomfort does not cause much concern to the patient. In addition, a heart attack suffered on the legs may have the following symptoms:

• cold sweat;
• causeless anxiety;
• weakness;
• low blood pressure;
• feeling of lack of air;
• numbness of the left half of the body.

Signs of a heart attack in the legs in some cases can be easily confused with intestinal disorder, because the patient appears severe nausea and bouts of vomiting. The atypical course of ischemic damage to cardiac tissue may be accompanied by neurological manifestations. In this case, the patient experiences insomnia, panic attacks and headaches.

Symptoms of a heart attack suffered on the legs cannot be eliminated by taking Nitroglycerin and other medicines. This condition is extremely dangerous, because... a person who is unaware of his heart problem continues to lead an active lifestyle, which increases the risk of myocardial rupture in the area of ​​necrosis with subsequent death.

Why is this possible

When understanding the question of whether it is possible to have a heart attack on your legs, you should take into account that this happens often. Often a person suffers a micro-infarction, because in this case the area of ​​damage to the heart muscle is not too large and the remaining healthy tissue is enough to compensate for the resulting deficiency. This condition is accompanied by the appearance of signs of general malaise and severe fatigue. If the patient suffers a microinfarction on the legs, surges in blood pressure may occur.

However, such an asymptomatic course is not safe. Even with this course of myocardial tissue ischemia, complications can occur. In addition, microinfarctions worsen the condition of the heart muscle and create conditions for the appearance of other acute and chronic disorders heart functions.

Consequences

The consequences of a heart attack suffered on the legs can be life-threatening for the patient. Ischemic damage to heart tissue creates conditions for the formation of blood clots. Blood clots can travel through the bloodstream, causing thromboembolism pulmonary artery, damage to the kidneys, brain and other organs.

In addition, a heart attack suffered in the legs can result in death within a few days. A fatal outcome is often observed if tissue rupture occurs against the background of heart damage due to the ischemic process. Often, against the background of rupture of myocardial tissue, it develops cardiogenic shock. This condition is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure, shortness of breath and other symptoms.

A common consequence heart attack disturbances appear heart rate varying degrees gravity. In addition, pulmonary edema may occur, which is accompanied by increasing respiratory failure and can cause death.

Against this backdrop pathological condition, like a heart attack, the formation of an aneurysm is often observed in the future. This defect occurs when the formed scar begins to stretch under intracardiac pressure. This complication is characterized by progressive heart failure, because the efforts of the organ muscles do not allow blood to be completely ejected from the expanded cavity.

Myocardial infarction suffered on the legs can create conditions for the development of cardiosclerosis, which is accompanied by replacement of healthy areas of the heart fibrous tissue. This leads to progressive heart failure.

Rehabilitation

A heart attack does not go away without consequences, so even if this pathological condition was not accompanied by the appearance of significant symptoms, it is necessary to direct efforts to restore health. After identifying this disorder, the patient should be regularly examined and take medications designed to improve the nutrition of heart tissue and restore it normal operation.

Lifelong use of medications designed to restore normal rhythm and blood pressure is often required. In addition, targeted rehabilitation is required. A person who has recently had a heart attack is recommended to adhere to a gentle regimen: feeling unwell better to stay in bed physical activity should be limited. You should stop playing sports for about 4 weeks after the attack. To avoid blood stagnation in lower limbs, you should regularly take long walks.

You need to give up alcohol and, if necessary, quit smoking. In addition, it is recommended to adhere special diet, including easy-to-digest but nutritious foods in your diet. At the same time, fried foods, semi-finished products, smoked products, pickles and other junk food should be excluded. Must be avoided emotional stress.

In the future, a course of physical therapy may be recommended to restore heart function. Physical activity should be increased gradually. First, a person must exercise under the supervision of a physical therapy instructor. Great benefit the patient can benefit from treatment in a sanatorium-resort setting. After stabilization of the patient's condition, it is recommended to undergo preventive examinations cardiologist every 6 months.

Under certain conditions in some people serious problems with a heart can have atypical course without development of pronounced clinical symptoms. In particular, a heart attack suffered “on your feet” is a fairly common phenomenon that can pose an immediate threat to a person’s life or cause serious complications And negative consequences for health.

What is a heart attack?

The term myocardial infarction defines a pathological process, the consequence of which is the death of a section of cardiac muscle tissue due to sudden violation blood circulation against the background of the influence of several provoking factors:

• Coronary heart disease, which results from the deposition of cholesterol in coronary arteries, feeding the myocardium.
• Hypertension with a prolonged increase in systemic blood pressure.
• Thrombophlebitis is an inflammatory process in the venous vessels, accompanied by the formation of blood clots, which can subsequently clog the coronary arteries.
• Age and gender of the person – often pathology can occur in men over 50 years of age. In women, the pathological process usually develops with the appearance of severe pain.
• Smoking and systematic drinking of alcohol, hobbies fatty foods, which contribute to faster deposition of cholesterol in the arteries.
• Insufficient motor activity person.
• Frequent and severe emotional or physical stress.
• A change in the functional state of the blood, accompanied by increased coagulability and intravascular thrombus formation.

In order to avoid the development of a heart attack, it is important to exclude exposure to all provoking factors, which is possible through lifestyle modifications.

Is it possible to miss a heart attack?

Insufficient nutrition of the heart muscle and tissue death are usually accompanied by the development of severe pain, which initially has the character of compression, and then sharply intensifies. A heart attack can go unnoticed painless form pathological process develops in several situations:

• Individual characteristics of the human body, which include high threshold pain sensitivity, as well as certain anatomical changes in the innervation of the heart muscle.
• Long course coronary disease heart, in which there is a gradual “adaptation” of sensitive receptors, as well as central structures nervous system To pain.
• Taking certain medications that have the ability to reduce the severity of pain - non-steroidal or hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs, sedatives.
• Exhaustion of a person, in which the activity of the nervous system, including the afferent part responsible for sensitivity, decreases.
• A small focus of a pathological process called a microinfarction. The disease can often be transmitted on the legs; it is detected after long time by identifying formed connective tissue scars in the area of ​​tissue death.

Knowing the provoking factors will allow you to suspect possible development diseases, especially in the case of general, nonspecific symptoms.

Symptoms

An asymptomatic or hidden heart attack is characterized by the absence of the main manifestation – compressive or severe pain in the chest area behind the sternum. Signs of changes in functional status may often appear cardiovascular system which include:

• Pronounced sweating or the appearance of “cold sweat”.
• Nausea, often accompanied by vomiting.
• Marked feeling of weakness.
• Drowsiness, which can reach significant severity, even to the point of fainting.
• The appearance of sensations of numbness, which predominantly radiate to the left side.
• Decrease in systemic blood pressure (arterial hypotension).

Appearance common symptoms a person may associate it with overwork, insufficient sleep. Several signs may indicate that a heart attack is occurring without heart pain. characteristic features, which you should pay attention to:

• The appearance of unmotivated weakness several weeks before a heart attack.
• General signs of changes in the functional state of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems are characterized by constancy, more often appear in the evening, and they lead to the development of insomnia.
• There is an increase in the clinical symptoms of “silent” heart attack after physical or emotional stress.
• As signs of a heart attack develop, shortness of breath appears varying degrees expressiveness.
• At long term of the pathological process, especially against the background of damage to a significant volume of tissue, the development of consequences is not uncommon.

If a person has suffered a heart attack without severe symptoms and in the absence of complications, then he may not know about it for a long time. Typically, the pathological condition is detected retrospectively on an ECG in the form of formed connective tissue scars.

Important! Enough a common symptom a “silent” heart attack is sudden appearance acute human reactions to various odors.

Is a “silent” heart attack dangerous?

If a person managed to suffer a small volume of tissue infarction, then acute complications often do not develop. In the area of ​​dead cells, a connective tissue scar is gradually formed. If a significant amount of tissue is damaged, a heart attack can lead to the development of several dangerous complications:

• Decline contractility myocardium with the development of acute or chronic heart failure.
• The development of arrhythmia, which is characterized by a change in the rhythm and speed of heart contractions.
• Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots inside the cavities of the heart in the area of ​​dead (necrotic tissue).
• Formation of connective tissue scar large sizes(cardiosclerosis), which causes deformation of the valves and insufficiency of their functional state.
• Partial rupture of the heart wall in the area of ​​tissue death, which is a very dangerous condition, as blood leaks into the pericardium. This causes compression (tamponade) of the heart with subsequent cardiac arrest.
• Development of pulmonary edema caused by acute disorder contractile function hearts.

One of the criteria for a heart attack “on the legs” is that it brings exacerbation of other diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular hypertension, pericarditis.

Important! The danger of a rupture of the heart wall is that it can develop a long time after a heart attack at the stage of formation of a connective tissue scar.

How to identify?

Reliable detection of a previous heart attack with minimal clinical manifestations possible using techniques objective diagnosis, which include:

• ECG - cardiogram is functional method research, which makes it possible to determine the nature and localization of ischemia ( malnutrition tissues) or myocardial infarction.
• “Holter” monitoring is the recording of a cardiogram using a portable device for a long period of time (usually about a day), during which the patient leads a normal lifestyle.
• Echocardioscopy – ultrasound examination heart, making it possible to visualize the affected tissue. It will show the severity of the pathological process, as well as its localization.
• Biochemical blood test - determination of the activity of certain enzymes in the plasma, which increases with death large quantity myocardial cells (myocardiocytes).
• Clinical blood test - determination of a number of indicators that make it possible to evaluate functional state many organs and systems, as well as identify the inflammatory process that often develops against the background of a heart attack.

If necessary, the doctor prescribes other research methods that help establish or exclude the presence of complications, as well as other concomitant pathologies.

Timely diagnosis of a heart attack suffered “on your feet” is important event, which helps prevent the development of complications and negative health consequences.

Fedorov Leonid Grigorievich

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to have a heart attack on your legs and not notice. Statistics say that every fifth patient does not notice the symptoms of an attack. The diagnosis is usually made during a routine examination, and the doctor prescribes the appropriate one. After all, a heart attack significantly disrupts the functioning of the heart.

Causes

Species

Depending on how pronounced the signs of the pathological process are, heart attacks are:

• With combined necrosis. In this case, vague symptoms are observed. The patient suffers from mild nausea, weakness, sweating and tingling in the chest.
• With gastrological necrosis. The symptoms are similar to stomach diseases. The patient is concerned about nausea, vomiting and other discomfort.
• Arrhythmic. At the same time, the heartbeat periodically increases and the heart stops.
• Asthmatic. There is no pain in the heart, but suffocation, coughing, and shortness of breath are bothersome. Can't breathe full breasts.;
• With cerebral necrosis. In this case, blood circulation in the brain is disrupted, which is manifested by loss of orientation in space, nausea, speech dysfunction, and weakness in the limbs.
• Shock. The attack develops as a result of a decrease in the arteries. This is accompanied by weakness, tinnitus, darkening of the eyes, and dizziness.

The most difficult form of necrosis is to diagnose. Symptoms may be completely absent. But after a few days, the consequences of a heart attack suffered on the legs develop in men and women.

Diagnostics

If a hidden infarction is suspected, a full examination organs of the cardiovascular system. To detect violations promptly and accurately, you must:

• Collect the patient's medical history. Important role The presence of people among close relatives who have suffered a heart attack plays a role in the development of pathology.
• Carry out general research blood. If the level of leukocytes has increased, this indicates the development inflammatory process.
• Detect changes in blood pressure, pulse, temperature.
• Determine markers of cardiac muscle necrosis in the blood. An attack is indicated by the presence of myoglobin.
• Evaluate electrocardiogram data. During a heart attack, a pathological Q wave is observed, and the T wave is negative.

22.09.2017

A heart attack suffered on the legs accounts for 20% of all cases of the condition. About 5% of patients do not notice a heart attack - a person may not pay attention to intense, prolonged pain and write off the malaise as a decrease or high blood pressure, general weakness after illness, intense physical activity.

A person may not recognize a heart attack and suffer it on his feet

General information

Necrotic damage to part of the heart muscle, when blood circulation is disrupted, is called myocardial infarction. This pathology is irreversible and if the person remains alive, the damaged area is scarred.

In the process of hardware studies, such damage to the heart muscle can be detected - this indicates that the heart attack was suffered on the legs. This condition is called atypical form heart attack. It comes suddenly and occurs without symptoms.

Heart muscle damage

Experts distinguish types of heart attacks:

1. The asthmatic form of heart attack is characterized by the absence of pain and difficulty breathing. Coughing attacks, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing may occur.
2. Brain or cerebral form microinfarction is expressed by impaired blood circulation in the vessels of the brain. The main manifestations are: nausea, loss of orientation in space, lack of coherent speech, partial paralysis of both upper and lower extremities.
3. The arrhythmic form has pronounced violations in the work of the heart: rapid pulse, frequent fading of the heart muscle and dizziness.
4. The gastrological (abdominal) form is expressed in symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract - nausea, intolerance to odors, nagging pain in the abdomen, bloating and increased gag reflex.
5. The shock or collaptoid form is characterized by a sudden decrease in blood pressure, which causes a semi-fainting state. There is dizziness, tinnitus and general weakness.
6. In an erased or combined type of heart attack on the legs, the signs are mild: increased fatigue, mild tingling in the heart area and increased sweating.

A previous myocardial infarction of an erased form is detected later; when the condition occurs, it is difficult to detect. The greatest danger to humans is posed by the cerebral type of infarction - disturbances in mental activity, work speech apparatus create difficulties when calling an ambulance medical care.

Symptoms of a heart attack in the legs

It is possible to suffer a heart attack on the legs without noticing the problem - this is explained by the small area of ​​necrotic lesion. Such situations are diagnosed by specialists as microinfarctions, in which the absence severe symptoms a heart attack suffered on the legs - a long-term acute pain syndrome in the heart, is the norm.

All indicators that indicate a malfunction in the body are perceived by a person as system-wide weakness or mild malaise. They do not pay attention to the symptoms of a heart attack in men - neither he himself nor those around him may not notice the dangerous condition.

Pressing pain in the heart is the first sign of a microinfarction

When a person has a heart attack, the condition may change. But to avoid potential complications It is not recommended to delay contacting a cardiologist or therapist.

Signs when a person needs to visit a doctor and characterizing a microinfarction on the legs are:

• system-wide weakness;
• sudden decrease in blood pressure;
• pressing pain in the heart;
• increased sweating;
• lack of air and shortness of breath;
• numbness on the left side of the body (sometimes only in the feet, hands, fingers).

Each of the symptoms can manifest itself over a long period. Acute manifestations pre-infarction and infarction states occur in evening time and can cause insomnia.

All signs, as well as the risk of heart attack, may increase with physical activity, particularly working or climbing stairs. Prolonged manifestation of symptomatic signs of a heart attack in men is more common than in women and can lead to the fact that a person misses the attack unnoticed.

Risk factors

A heart attack can occur for many reasons, but experts identify a number of factors that increase the risk of damage to a person’s heart muscle:

1. Diabetes mellitus, both types 1 and 2, contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and a gradual decrease in muscle tone.
2. Gender – women have a lower risk; female sex hormones help restore tissue and maintain the elasticity of blood vessels.
3. Age-related changes in people over 50 years of age lead to a decrease in tone muscle fibers and vessel walls.

People over 50 years of age are at risk

Genetic predisposition may influence risks, but leads to heart attack bad habits, stressful conditions and low mobility.

Diagnostics

If you suspect a heart attack, you need to get medical assistance– get to the hospital yourself or call an ambulance.

If you suspect a heart attack, you should immediately call an ambulance

To confirm the condition, the following diagnostic measures are carried out:

• echocardiogram:
• 24-hour Holter monitoring;
• Ultrasound of the heart;
• blood biochemistry.

A previous infarction is determined by an ECG, echocardiogram and monitoring help determine the boundaries of the necrotic area. Blood biochemistry is necessary when a recent (up to 4 days) heart attack is detected. When a heart attack is determined over time, the doctor detects complications, as well as prescribes a course of treatment. Often the patient is sent for preventive treatment.

Treatment of heart attack on the legs

After a heart attack on the legs, the patient needs to be treated in a hospital. Doctors prescribe a course of drugs, their action is aimed at eliminating blood clots and restoring blood flow in the heart artery.

The task of doctors is to administer a medication that dissolves blood clots as soon as possible after the onset of the pathological condition. Its administration is considered ideal at the “golden” hour, that is, 1 hour after a heart attack.

Treatment of a heart attack is best done in a hospital setting

Afterwards, drugs are introduced that reduce the intensity of blood flow. This reduces the heart's need for oxygen and increases the life support of cells in the damaged area. To prevent a new blood clot, injections of anti-clotting medications are given. If necessary, surgical intervention is performed.

Consequences of an asymptomatic heart attack

A positive answer to the question: is it possible to have a heart attack without consequences? Does not exist, even if the heart attack was asymptomatic. A heart attack suffered on the legs has consequences. Sometimes they are not immediately noticeable, but can subsequently lead to the following dangerous conditions:

• pulmonary edema;
• failure of the rhythm of contractions of the heart muscle;
• the occurrence of blood clots;
• partial damage (rupture) of the walls of blood vessels.

Pulmonary edema - possible consequence suffered a heart attack on the legs

A heart attack that was discovered after a considerable time can provoke the following pathologies:

• thinning of the myocardial walls;
• decreased contractility of the myocardium;
• thrombosis and congestion blood;
• pathological change in the rhythm of heart contractions;
• deformation of heart valves combined with microcardiosclerosis.

The consequences of a heart attack suffered on the legs include: worsening pathologies of the heart and blood vessels (heart failure, pericarditis, arrhythmias, etc.).

If you do not seek medical help if a heart attack occurs or if a heart attack is not detected, the likelihood of a relapse increases.

Adequate actions after a microinfarction

Treatment and recovery plan after atypical heart attack determined by the treating specialist based on clinical picture. A heart attack localized in the legs requires a rehabilitation period:

1. Performing exercise therapy to normalize blood pressure, pulse and heart rate.
2. Taking medications prescribed by your doctor according to your schedule.
3. A diet with a predominant content of fruits, vegetables, seafood, lean and white meat, and whole grain bread.
4. Regular monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure.

A heart attack must be treated with medication

To prevent the development of a pathological condition, you must follow the rules:

• follow the basics of a healthy lifestyle;
• avoid psycho-emotional stress;
• monitor blood pressure readings and enter data into a diary;
• avoid physical overexertion;
• bring and maintain body weight at a normal level;
• Maintain a sleep/wake schedule.

Following the rules of a healthy lifestyle and maintaining weight within the normal range in conjunction with healthy eating will allow the body to restore the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, preventing the possibility of developing a heart attack. Keeping the body in good shape helps improve its performance and allows you to avoid life-threatening and health-threatening conditions.

Cardiovascular pathologies are the leaders among diseases leading to death. Heart attack is one of the most dangerous conditions, in which necrotic changes occur in myocardial tissue.

The patient's condition worsens as the extent of the lesion increases. However, with small necrotic foci obvious signs may not appear at all or be atypical, which carries a huge risk for human health and life, since an attack can be suffered on the legs, which means adequate therapy the person does not receive.

Quite often, a person does not notice small foci of necrosis of heart tissue, suffering a heart attack on his legs. In this case, symptoms practically do not appear. Without medical attention, a small outbreak can develop into extensive lesion, which poses a direct threat to human life.

In medicine, there are several types of asymptomatic forms of heart attack, which are called atypical (Table 1).

Table 1 - Types of heart attacks with nonspecific symptoms

Variety	Characteristic signs
Erased	profuse sweating; decreased endurance; slight tingling in the heart area.
Cerebral	failure of cerebral circulation: nausea; loss of orientation in space; feeling of weakness in the limbs; speech problems; muscles are partially paralyzed.
Arrhythmic	disruptions in the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle; increased heart rate; a feeling of complete cardiac arrest for some time.
Asthmatic	no pain; suffocation; difficulties with the respiratory system; cardiac cough; lack of air.
Abdominal	dyspepsia, including prolonged vomiting; painful sensations in the abdominal area.
Collaptoid	low blood pressure; dizziness; visual hallucinations; ear noise; fainting states.

Pay attention! The disease develops due to disruption of normal blood flow to the heart. Long lasting oxygen starvation triggers necrotic processes. The main signs indicating progressive death of myocardial tissue are:

• discomfort in the sternum, shoulder blade and cervical area;
• a feeling of painful squeezing in the chest;
• pain lasts more than 30 minutes;
• a sharp drop in blood pressure;
• numbness of the upper extremities;
• pain does not stop after taking Nitroglycerin and other heart medications;
• abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting;
• suffocation;
• cold sweat;
• constant fatigue.

Most often, the disease manifests itself with standard symptoms, but if the heart attack is suffered on the legs, then the symptoms are not clearly expressed. If one of the symptoms is detected, you must immediately go to the hospital for examination.

Causes of unidentified heart attack

The main factor provoking the development of hidden necrotic changes in the heart muscle is partial blocking by a thrombus or cholesterol plaque lumen of the coronary artery.

The reasons that provoke the development of a heart attack may be the following:

• hereditary predisposition;
• failures metabolic processes body;
• high cholesterol;
• diabetes mellitus;
• hypertension;
• smoking.

Small lesions that allow a heart attack to occur on the legs are more common in men, due to the characteristics of the body and resistance to pain. After past illness the condition may improve or various complications will progress.

Diagnostics

If one of the above-mentioned signs of a heart attack is detected, you must immediately go to the hospital for examination, as delay may lead to serious consequences in the form of incapacity or even death.

At initial examination doctor examines patient, measures blood pressure, heart rate and breathing quality. If the history reveals the presence of a previous heart attack, then it is necessary to urgently take preventive measures to prevent possible complications.

Accurate diagnosis of a heart attack is carried out using laboratory and hardware tests. To determine a small heart attack, your doctor may order one of the following tests:

The most accurate and common diagnostic method is an electrocardiogram, which reveals all disturbances in the conduction of heart signals and the frequency of its contractions.

Possible complications

Necrotic processes in cardiac tissues can lead to complications both immediately after the disease and after long period time. That is why all patients who have suffered a heart attack should be observed by their attending physician for a long time.

The most common consequences arising from this pathology are listed below.

Rehabilitation

Treatment of this disease should only happen in inpatient department under supervision qualified specialists. The initial task of doctors is to eliminate the cause that led to the disruption of blood supply. After this, medications are used to improve blood circulation and prevent blood clots.

People who have had a heart attack should adhere to a special lifestyle and follow the following rules:

Physical therapy will help restore normal pulse, myocardial contraction frequency and improve general condition patient, but this will happen gradually.

The patient may also be prescribed a visit to the pool, cycling and other active exercises.

A heart attack that goes unnoticed by a person is very dangerous for his life. Untimeliness accurate diagnosis may lead to complications. Treatment of even minor foci of myocardial death should be carried out in a hospital under constant control experienced doctors.