Be On Your Guard Now: Know the 5 Signs of an Impending Heart Attack

A heart attack as popularized in movies and TV shows is often characterized by a sudden and intense pain in the chest area, leading the person having the attack to clutch his or her chest in pain and typically collapse to the floor. This “Hollywood heart attack” is accurate in some cases, but not all the time. As a matter of fact, many imminent heart attacks are signaled by medical cues and warning signs that are not as sudden or intense as often pictured by most people. What are these distinguishing signs and symptoms of an impending heart attack? Learn all about them below and you may help save someone’s life someday—maybe even that of your own.

1. 1. Chest discomfort

An early warning sign of a looming heart attack is a feeling of burning or pressure in the chest area, a sensation that may be described by some as similar to having a pulled muscle. Sometimes it can be a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain, while at other times the discomfort may involve a nagging uncomfortable squeezing or fullness in the chest area. 

This feeling of chest pain or pressure is a result of the mounting injury to the heart muscle that occurs in an impending heart attack. A common cause of this injury is the blockage of a coronary artery by fat deposits or a clot. When they are blocked for some reason, the heart is deprived of blood flow and no oxygen and nutrients can reach the heart muscles. The heart tissues become damaged and eventually die, causing the sensations of chest pressure, fullness, or pain. 

This chest discomfort may be similar to the experience of angina, or chest pain that occurs in those with coronary artery disease. The difference between the chest pain in angina and that of an impending heart attack is that the latter cannot be relieved by rest. Also, while angina typically occurs only upon physical exertion, chest discomfort in an imminent heart attack occurs frequently even at rest.

1. 2. Discomfort in other upper body areas

In an impending heart attack, the chest discomfort or pain felt may radiate to other upper body areas. The person may experience numbness, tingling, or an aching sensation in the upper back, the arm (usually the left), upper or middle abdomen, the jaw, the teeth, or the head. In some cases, headaches may be coupled with dizziness, blurry vision, and fainting.

1. 3. General body malaise or unusual fatigue

An early warning of an imminent heart attack is waking up tired and finding normal daily activities more exhausting than usual. These feelings of fatigue and body weakness tend to get worse day after day. 

1. 4. Heartburn, indigestion, and other digestive problems

In many cases, the chest pain or discomfort in a looming heart attack may be perceived as heartburn by some people. Frequent indigestion, nausea, and vomiting are also other warning signs of an imminent heart attack.

1. 5. Sense of impending doom

An imminent heart attack may bring about feelings of anxiety with no known cause, and the person experiences a nagging sense of impending doom. The person may also show signs of pallor, break out in a cold sweat, and have clammy skin.

These signs may occur anytime and they don’t need to be present all at the same time for alarm bells to go off that something might be wrong. If you experience any of them and suspect an impending heart attack, promptly seek medical help to ensure your safety.

What Are the Causes of Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. Observed worldwide in people from different walks of life, this is a type of cancer that doesn’t choose anyone. A very important way to prevent lung cancer is determining the different causes for its emergence. What are the causes of lung cancer? Here is a list of the different reasons why it can come about.

1. Smoking- It’s been established in different studies that smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. But how does it exactly become the biggest culprit in causing this type of cancer? First, there’s the sheer number of chemicals present in cigarette smoke. It’s been reported that over 4000 chemicals, including some that are carcinogenic, are present in this smoke. In addition to this, the length of time the person is smoking can be a major determining factor. It’s been discovered that people who smoke high amounts of cigarettes a day have a higher risk of having cancer. As proof of its dominant role in causing lung cancer, around 90% of all lung cancer cases are due to cigarette smoking.

2. Pollution- The air you breathe has a huge say on how your lungs will hold up in the short and long terms. Constant exposure to polluted air significantly increases the person’s risk of having lung cancer. This can be caused by 2 reasons. First, pollutants have a way of irritating the alveoli and the numerous air pathways (namely the bronchi and other subcomponents) inside the lung. Second, the different substances and chemicals found in polluted air can have an adverse effect on lung tissue. Forms of air pollution include fumes from industrial processes, vehicles, and even passive smoke from cigarettes.

3. Asbestos exposure- There used to be a time when asbestos is considered to be an important component for a lot of items, including fireproof construction materials. However, it’s been well-documented since that asbestos has the tendency to fragment to small fibers, entering the lungs, and damaging its inner structure in the process. Not only is it linked to lung cancer, but it is also linked to other chest-area cancers such as mesothelioma.

4. Other lung diseases- The presence of other lung problems can also play a big role in the development of lung cancer. Those who have lung conditions such as tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease play a big role in increasing one’s risk of having cancer of the lungs. It’s been scientifically proven that these diseases can exponentially increase one’s risk of acquiring lung cancer.

What are the causes of lung cancer? The following are just some of the most common causes out there. That said, the best way to reduce your risks of having this potentially deadly disease is to try and avoid the aforementioned causes. You must stop smoking as soon as possible, try to stay away from polluted areas, refrain from using materials made from asbestos, and treat lung conditions such as COPD and tuberculosis as soon as possible.

Uncover the Facts on Meningitis: A Guide on Its Types, Symptoms and Management

Meningitis is a condition wherein the membrane layers that enclose the brain and the spinal cord, collectively known as the meninges, are inflamed. These membrane layers are the pia mater, the arachnoid mater, and the dura mater. Between the delicate pia mater and the loosely fitting arachnoid mater lies the subarachnoid space, a gap filled with cerebrospinal fluid that also serves to protect and cushion the brain and the spinal cord. In many cases of meningitis, the meninges are affected by inflammation because the cerebrospinal fluid has been contaminated by infectious agents. Failure to diagnose meningitis is considered a form of medical negligence.

There are five common classifications of meningitis: viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and non-infectious. The most common type among the five is viral meningitis, which is caused by such viruses as herpes simplex virus, enterovirus, mumps virus, varicella zoster virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. It is a serious infection, but it is rarely fatal and usually far less severe than bacterial meningitis. Full recovery from viral meningitis is very likely for people with normal immune systems. 

Bacterial meningitis, on the other hand, is far less common than viral meningitis but is considered a medical emergency as death can result if immediate intervention is not instituted. Bacterial types that can cause meningitis include meningococci, pneumococci, Group B streptococci, E. coli, Haemophilus influenzae, tubercle bacilli, and Listeria strains. Contamination of the cerebrospinal fluid by these infectious agents activates the immune system to launch a large-scale inflammatory response in an attempt to fight off the invasion. Fluid leaks from blood vessels, white blood cells accumulate, and blood vessel walls become inflamed, all leading to an increase in the pressure inside the skull cavity. Because of the increased pressure, blood flow to the brain is diminished and brain cells may suffer a deprivation of oxygen and nutrients, eventually leading to cell death. 

Another type of meningitis is fungal, which is caused by agents such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum. They usually gain entry to the body through the inhalation of fungal spores, and the risk of contacting fungal meningitis increases with diminished immunity due to aging, HIV/AIDS, or use of immunosuppressing drugs. 

Parasitic meningitis is very rare especially in developed countries, but is considered fatal. Parasites such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Schistosoma species can contaminate food and water, while the amoeba Naegleria fowleri can get inside the body through inhalation. 

Non-infectious meningitis occurs not because of the invasion of infectious microorganisms, but of causes such as cancer spreading to the meninges, systemic lupus, certain medications, invasive brain surgery, and head injuries. 

Common signs and symptoms that may indicate meningitis include a rapid onset of high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Because of brain affectation, mental status changes may also be observed, such as irritability, lethargy, decreased consciousness, and seizures. The person with meningitis may also be unable to tolerate bright light because of heightened eye sensitivity, a condition known as photophobia. In infants and small children, these symptoms may not be evident, but will instead show general signs of irritability, poor feeding, and looking unwell.

Treatment of meningitis depends on its cause. As mentioned above, bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency and needs immediate intervention, usually involving intravenous antibiotics. Corticosteroids, medications that work to decrease inflammation, are also helpful in regulating the immune response in meningitis.

Sweet Blood: The Disease Process, Types, Symptoms and Treatment of Diabetes

Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way the body uses food as fuel for energy, growth, and other functions and processes. Simply put, diabetes is a metabolic disorder that involves abnormally high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. To better understand diabetes as a disease process, it is first important to have a basic understanding of the normal body processes involved in metabolism. 

Normally, when food is eaten and gets digested, it is broken down into smaller components, the most basic of which is the simple sugar known as glucose. Glucose is the basic unit that can get taken up by body cells and used as fuel for the essential processes that they carry out. But glucose cannot get inside body cells on its own. It needs a transporter to enter a body cell, and this transporter is insulin. Insulin is a hormone made and released by another organ of the digestive system, the pancreas. With insulin, the glucose derived from food can successfully be utilized by body cells and used as fuel for body processes.

Without insulin, or if there is any problem in the way insulin can facilitate the entry of glucose into body cells, glucose cannot be taken up or used by the body cells. Instead, glucose is left to remain and circulate in the bloodstream, eventually leading to elevated glucose levels in the blood—a condition known as diabetes. Diabetes, therefore, can occur either because the pancreas is unable to produce any insulin, the pancreas produces insufficient amounts of insulin, the insulin receptors in the cells are not sensitive enough to successfully facilitate the transfer process of glucose, or a combination of these factors. 

Type 1 Diabetes is a condition that results from the failure or inability of the pancreas to synthesize any insulin, and is typically genetic in nature. It is usually diagnosed in children and teens, which is why it was also previously labeled as “juvenile diabetes”. Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, occurs as a result of the body cells’ inability to utilize insulin, an insufficiency of the insulin produced by the pancreas, or a combination of both. This type is more associated with lifestyle-related factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and improper diet. It is typically diagnosed in adulthood, which earned it the initial name “adult-onset diabetes”.

The three classic signs of diabetes are polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Because of the excessively high levels of glucose in the bloodstream of a person with diabetes, the kidneys work to eliminate glucose through the urine. But because glucose is a solute, the kidneys also pull water from the blood to dilute it, filling up the bladder faster and resulting to polyuria or frequent urination. Since water is eliminated more rapidly through this increased urination, the person experiences increased thirst or polydipsia. And since the body cells cannot effectively utilize the glucose that circulates in the bloodstream, they still send signals to the brain about the need for more fuel, driving polyphagia or increased hunger.  

The treatment of diabetes depends on its type. In Type 1 cases where the body is really unable to produce its own insulin hormone, insulin is artificially introduced into the body through insulin injections. For Type 2 cases, management can be done through controlled diet, regular physical activity, and weight management, as well as oral hypoglycemic agents if lifestyle changes are not enough to manage the medical condition.

What You Should Know About Stroke: How it Happens and the Risk Factors You Can Change Now

Stroke, or sometimes called “brain attack”, occurs when a certain area of the brain suffers from a damaging interruption in normal blood flow. You may have heard of people losing the ability to move one side of the body, losing control over their bladders or bowels, or having trouble speaking as a result of suffering from a major stroke. But how does one get a stroke? What are the medical conditions that contribute to the occurrence of stroke and what are the events that unfold in this disease process?

A stroke may occur in one of two ways, both involving the blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nourishment to the brain tissues. The first and more common of the two involve a blockage of these blood vessels either through a lodged blood clot or an excessive buildup of fat and cholesterol in the blood vessel lining. In these cases, the stroke is termed as ischemic, from the word ischemia which means insufficient blood supply. The blockage is the cause of this insufficient blood supply, as the clot plugs the narrow blood vessels of the brain and decreases or prevents blood from nourishing the brain cells that these arteries normally supply. 

The second way through which a stroke may occur is when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing blood to leak and flood the surrounding brain tissues and resulting to injury from the added pressure. This type of stroke is known as hemorrhagic, from the word hemorrhage which means bleeding. Aside from injury as a result of localized pressure, the bursting of a blood vessel in the brain also causes a disruption in the connecting pathways that serve to circulate blood in the entire brain. The factors that may lead to the rupturing of a blood vessel include thin or weak blood vessel walls and excessively high blood pressure.

In both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, a disturbance in the normal blood supply affects a certain area of the brain, and oxygen and nutrients do not reach these areas. Because brain cells are not capable of anaerobic metabolism, or metabolism that does not require oxygen, they have an especially short survival time when blood supply is cut off. After 4-6 minutes without sufficient blood supply, brain cells start to die and damaging biochemical substances are released, further adding to brain tissue destruction. As dead brain cells can no longer be replaced, stroke is characterized by a loss of function in the body parts and processes controlled by the damaged area in the brain.

What makes people susceptible to stroke? The contributing factors may either be non-modifiable or modifiable. The non-modifiable factors include such aspects as old age, male sex, family history of stroke, previous heart attack, and African-American, Asian-Pacific, or Hispanic ethnic backgrounds. The modifiable factors include high cholesterol levels in the blood, as cholesterol and fat buildup in blood vessel walls contribute to the risk of ischemic stroke. High blood pressure is another modifiable factor in stroke, as it increases the risk for both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Other modifiable factors include smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol intake. If you recognize that you have any of these risk factors for stroke, it would be best to start making positive lifestyle changes now, and consult with a health practitioner for preventive measures against stroke.

Appendicitis Can Kill: Know How it Happens and Learn to Recognize Its Signs

Appendicitis is the inflammation or swelling of the appendix, a finger-like appendage sized about 3.5 inches long and attached to the beginning of the large intestine, found at the lower right side of the abdominal area. The appendix has no known purpose or function in the body, and is simply a tube-like tissue structure that is closed at one end and opens into the large intestine at the other end. 

However, in some instances certain pathologies may affect the appendix and it ends up being inflamed and infected, to the point of having the potential to cause serious harm and even death to the individual. How can a seemingly purposeless appendage cause system-wide damage and such severe consequences? Learn what happens in appendicitis and find out.

The trigger that sets off an inflammation in the appendix is perceived to be either a general infection in the stomach that somehow reaches to affect the appendix, a trauma, or an obstruction localized in the narrow pocket that the appendix has. 

In many cases, primary obstruction is seen as the cause of appendicitis. This obstruction may be a small piece of hardened rock-like stool known as a fecalith, a foreign body, or intestinal worms and parasites. As the obstruction occupies the space inside the narrow structure of the appendix, swelling and mucus production occurs, increasing the chances of even more debris accumulating and irritating the appendix. 

The progression of this obstruction and swelling increases the pressure in the appendix walls, occluding the small blood vessels that supply the appendix and obstructing lymphatic flow. As the appendix receives insufficient blood supply, its tissues eventually die and become necrotic, causing pus and bacteria to leak out of its walls. If this continues, the inflamed appendix bursts and spreads infectious material in the entire abdomen, resulting to a condition known as peritonitis. Eventually, the bloodstream can be contaminated and the condition becomes septicemia or blood poisoning, a systemic condition that can lead to death.

The typical symptoms of appendicitis start off as a dull pain around the area of the umbilicus or navel. This is because the nerves of the appendix enter the spinal cord at the level of the navel, so the pain starts around that area instead of where the appendix is actually located. Later on, as the disease process progresses and the appendix becomes so inflamed that it becomes swollen and enlarged, it begins to irritate the abdominal wall adjacent to it and the pain becomes localized to the right lower side of the abdomen. 

The characteristic pain of appendicitis can be severe upon gentle palpation of the right lower abdomen, but can also be assessed by eliciting the Rovsing’s sign— deeply palpating the left side of the abdomen to check for a pain reaction on the right side of the abdomen. The pain occurs because deeply palpating the left side of the abdomen pushes bowel contents toward the appendix, increasing the pressure around the affected area. Further signs of appendicitis are loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and abdominal distention with gas.  Missing the signs is considered medical negligence.

Upon diagnosis of appendicitis through patient description of symptoms, physical examination and laboratory tests, typical management involves the removal of the appendix, ideally before it ruptures. The surgical procedure is known as appendectomy, and may involve either a traditional surgery or a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.  

What to do about Misdiagnosis of Psychiatric Disorders

Can misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation be claimed on behalf of a child? What do I need to do to initiate a misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation claim?

Misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation claims, as with any personal injury claim in the UK, cannot be filed by children until they reach their eighteenth birthday. Under UK claims law, a legal minor can neither make a claim for compensation nor instruct a solicitor. The Statute of Limitations in the UK allows the child three years from the date of their eighteenth birthday to make a claim for misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation, if the claim is filed by the victim. Provided that it is initiated before the child’s twenty first birthday, it will be within the legal time limit.

However, delaying such a claim is rarely wise. Medical negligence claims for misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation will need to be proven; however proving such claims so long after the medical negligence has occurred can be problematic. You are correct in wanting to initiate a claim for compensation on your child’s behalf promptly, and it is possible to do so under UK claims law.

A claim for misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation may be filed by a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult acting as a ‘litigation friend’ for the child. The appointment of a litigation friend must be made by the UK courts upon application, and a medical negligence solicitor should be consulted to help you do this. Acceptance of a litigation friend is usually a straightforward process, provided that there is no conflict of interest and that all financial responsibility for the claim is undertaken by the litigation friend. This means that win or lose, any financial costs associated with the claim will be the responsibility of the litigation friend and not the child.

Any award of compensation for misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders would only be made directly to the child, and not to the litigation friend. Misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation payments would be held by the UK courts until the child’s eighteenth birthday, upon which they would be released. If misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation is required to be released before this date – to pay for medical expenses, treatment costs, or for school costs – this is possible in most cases by petitioning the courts.

Although misdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders compensation settlements are possible before a case reaches the UK courts, it is wise to seek the assistance of a specialist medical negligence solicitor for advice, as the claim may require litigation. You should also determine all that is involved in a claim made as a litigation friend for a child before commencing the claim.

What to do about Misdiagnosis of a Heart Attack

Is misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation awarded when symptoms of an impending heart attack have been explained to a doctor, and the doctor failed to diagnose correctly, only for a heart attack to be suffered later the same week? If so, how much compensation can be claimed?

Eligibility to claim misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation depends on a number of different factors. While it is possible that a claim for misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation can be made in your case – a visit was made to the doctor with symptoms of impending heart attack, a misdiagnosis occurred, and an injury was suffered – a misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation claim needs to be thoroughly assessed before it can be determined whether it was caused by medical negligence.

Claims for misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation can only be made when the misdiagnosis involved a failure in a duty of care to a patient. If it can be demonstrated that a competent doctor would have been able to diagnose symptoms of impending heart attack under the same circumstances, you should have a strong claim for misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation.

An examination of a patient should be accompanied by a check of the patient´s medical history, any family health problems, a patient’s general health and lifestyle, and the age of a patient. All of these factors can have a significant bearing on whether the symptoms presented indicate an impending heart attack, or if they are more likely to be due to another health problem. If a doctor has failed to check all of these factors, it could amount to medical negligence and compensation for misdiagnosis of heart attack can be claimed. 

Claims for misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation will not be possible if a correct diagnosis was unlikely to be made by any medical professional under the same circumstances. However, when it can be proven ‘on the balance of probabilities’ that the misdiagnosis was avoidable, and when a heart attack could have been prevented with the provision of medication, misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation is possible, and a claim will have a good chance of being successful.

If you visited a doctor and angina was not diagnosed, and diagnostic tests were not prescribed, or their results were misinterpreted, you should speak with a medical negligence solicitor for advice about making a claim for misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation at the earliest possible opportunity.

Misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation awards will vary from case to case, depending on the pain suffered and any loss of amenity which have resulted due to an avoidable heart attack. Out of pocket expenses and medical treatment costs caused by the misdiagnosis can also be factored into a compensation claim.  Accurate misdiagnosis of heart attack compensation amounts can be calculated by a medical negligence solicitor after investigating your claim.

What to do about Misdiagnosis of Autism

Is a claim for misdiagnosis of autism compensation possible when a child has been wrongly diagnosed with epilepsy rather than autism? My son has been on epilepsy medication for months as a result of a misdiagnosis. He has recently been diagnosed as being autistic, and does not have epilepsy.

Misdiagnosis of autism compensation can be claimed when a child has either been diagnosed with autism when another condition was to blame, or when autism is not diagnosed and a child is actually autistic. Provided that a child has been injured as a result of the misdiagnosis of autism, compensation claims can be made. However a medical negligence compensation claim has potential to become highly complicated and you should seek specialist legal advice about making this type of medical negligence compensation claim.

The main problem with a compensation for misdiagnosis of autism claim is that there are no diagnostic tests available which can correctly diagnose autism. Autism is not a disease, neither a reaction; it is a developmental neurobiological difference in brain function. The only way that autism can be diagnosed is by observation of a child’s behaviour. Since many conditions often produce similar behavioural traits, the misdiagnosis of autism is sadly common. This is often compounded by the fact that many doctors lack experience in dealing with the symptoms and characteristics of the condition.

Misdiagnosis of autism compensation claims, as with any medical negligence claim, require proof that a doctor has made a misdiagnosis that is a breach in a duty of care to a patient, and that a competent doctor would have been able to correctly diagnose the condition under the same circumstances. With the wide range of symptoms displayed by autistic children, it may not be reasonable for any doctor to have made a correct diagnosis. If this is the case, a claim for misdiagnosis of autism compensation may not prove to be successful.

Early identification of autism can greatly benefit an autistic child, as learning and treatment programs can be developed to limit problems with the disorder. When autism is not correctly identified and is attributed to another medical condition, it involves incorrect medication being administered which can adversely affect the health of a child. In the case of your son, as long as the delay in diagnosis or the incorrect medication has led to an injury being sustained – psychological or physical – you should have grounds to make a misdiagnosis of autism compensation claim due to the medical negligence of your doctor for the wrong diagnosis. You should speak with a specialist medical negligence solicitor for advice about making a misdiagnosis of autism compensation claim on his behalf.