Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Heart Attack Warnings from Baykan

Heart attack is no longer just a disease of older people, it is also seen in young people. Cardiology Specialist Prof. working in a private hospital in Adana. Dr. Ahmet Oytun Baykan spoke to the İHA reporter on the subject.

"WOMEN MAY SHOW DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS"

Stating that the most common symptom of a heart attack is the pressure and squeezing pain felt in the middle of the chest, Prof. Dr. Baykan said, "Not every chest pain is a heart attack. We are talking about a pain that typically starts behind the chest, creates a feeling of pressure and squeezing, and can spread to the arm, shoulder, back, jaw or even the stomach. This pain usually lasts longer than 15-20 minutes and appears this way in the majority of cases."

"THE FIRST NEED TO BE DONE IS TO CALL THE AMBULANCE"

Prof. stated that trying to go to the hospital with one's own means when a heart attack is suspected may cause loss of time. Dr. Ahmet Oytun Baykan said, "The first thing we need to do is call the ambulance. The ambulance team can take an ECG at the scene, provide first aid and transport the patient to the appropriate center without wasting time. Apart from this, the person should rest, stop exertion, loosen his tight clothes and wait for the ambulance team."

"MILLIONS OF CELLS ARE LOST EVERY SECOND DURING A HEART ATTACK"

Emphasizing that loss of time in a heart attack directly affects the heart muscle, Prof. Dr. Baykan said, "After the artery is blocked, thousands or even millions of heart muscle cells begin to die every second. For us, in a heart attack, time equals heart muscle, which equals life. Especially the intervention performed within the first one or two hours saves lives and can largely prevent permanent damage to the heart."

"HEART ATTACKS ARE NOW MORE COMMON AT YOUNG AGES"

Pointing out that the number of heart attacks at young ages has increased in recent years, Baykan said that this cannot be attributed to a single reason and said, "Genetic predisposition is an important risk factor. However, unhealthy eating habits, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, irregular lifestyle and smoking also cause us to see heart diseases at younger ages."

"EAR LINE ALONE IS NOT AN INDICATOR OF HEART ATTACK"

Prof. also touched upon the allegations about the ear line, which have been frequently discussed on social media recently. Dr. Baykan said, "There are observational studies on the ear fold, known as Frank's line. However, it has not been proven that it is a direct cause or a definitive indicator of heart diseases. Instead of worrying about there being a line in the ear, complaints and real risk factors should be evaluated."