Causes of heart attack during pregnancy

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor General Internal Medicine Doctor - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Pregnancy is both a beautiful and happy time, when expectant mothers daily look forward to the birth of their child, and a time full of stress and fatigue, when a mother's body and mind have a lot of stress. many changes, appear many abnormal phenomena affecting health and life. Heart attack during pregnancy is one of the phenomena that worries and concerns mothers the most.

Heart ache during pregnancy is a common phenomenon that occurs in many women. In most cases, this is normal, reflects the rapid changes taking place in the body during pregnancy and is not dangerous, and can be treated with some simple measures. at home.
However, if this sharp pain occurs frequently, the pain radiates down the arm, is accompanied by fever, dizziness, or occurs frequently in women with a history of cardiovascular disease, this may be With warning signs of dangerous diseases, patients should quickly go to medical facilities to be examined and treated by a doctor.

2.1 Heartburn, bloating, indigestion Digestive disorders such as heartburn, bloating, indigestion are considered the leading causes of heart attacks in pregnant women. The cause of these digestive disorders is that during pregnancy, there is an increase in some hormones that reduce the peristalsis of the digestive system smooth muscles, thereby slowing down the digestion of food, the stomach valve. Esophageal dysfunction leads to acid reflux. Digestive disorders are also caused by the development of the fetus, by improper diet, by eating too many undigested foods, by side effects of iron supplements,...
These symptoms can appear early in pregnancy, and become more severe by the third trimester, around 27 weeks.

2.2 Stress during pregnancy Too much anxiety and stress can cause heart attacks during pregnancy.
2.3 Change in breast size When a woman is pregnant, breasts will become larger, the muscles and ligaments of the chest area will be stretched, the uterus expands causing increased pressure on the diaphragm and ribs, leading to shortness of breath and pain in the heart.
2.4 Respiratory diseases If pregnant women have diseases like asthma , respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses can cause symptoms of shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, fever, cough prolonged, feel the contractions of the chest and the phenomenon of sharp pain in the heart.
2.5 Heart Attack A sharp pain in the heart during pregnancy can be a symptom of a heart attack. Symptoms may be accompanied by headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, cold sweat, numbness in the limbs. The disease usually occurs in pregnant women who smoke, have a history of cardiovascular disease, have diabetes or become pregnant when they are over 40 years old. When there are symptoms of the disease, the patient should quickly go to the nearest medical facility for treatment.

2.6 Coronary artery disease The accumulation of plaque (fatty deposit) in the arteries narrows the area of ​​the arteries, restricts the blood flow through the arteries, and can lead to a heart attack.
2.7 Coronary Aneurysm Can be the cause of heart attacks during pregnancy. This condition can appear during pregnancy or after giving birth.
2.8 Aortic dissection Pregnancy increases the risk of aortic dissection, which is a tear in the aortic wall that allows blood to flow between the layers of the vessel wall, increasing the risk of aortic rupture. . The disease causes severe heart attacks, pain spreading to the shoulders, neck, arms, patients breathing fast, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea, ... This is a very dangerous disease, causing high risk of death.
2.9 Congenital Heart Congenital heart disease can be a cause of heart attack during pregnancy. When you or your family have a history of cardiovascular disease, repeated heart attacks during pregnancy is an important symptom, the patient needs to be treated promptly.

If a woman has a heart attack during pregnancy with symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, chest pain radiating to the arms, or frequent heart attacks in a woman with a history of heart disease If you have a pulse, you should go to a doctor immediately for timely treatment, to avoid risks during pregnancy, affecting the health of the mother and the development of the fetus.
If it is a common heart attack caused by digestive disorders, hormonal and psychological changes during pregnancy, the following measures can reduce and limit the occurrence of symptoms:
Smaller meals and appropriate intervals between meals to reduce food indigestion. Drink plenty of water, avoid stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, hot, spicy, greasy foods. Avoid eating too much, avoid lying down right after eating to limit heartburn, stomach acid reflux. Keep the spirit upbeat, happy, can practice yoga or meditate to avoid stress. Do gentle exercises to improve health and increase immunity for the body. Take plenty of time to rest, don't let your body get tired. When lying down, the pillow can be raised higher than usual to make it easier to breathe. Should sit upright, standing upright so that the lungs are not pressed, there is enough space to work. Good hygiene, maintain good hygiene, wash your hands often to reduce the risk of diseases caused by bacterial infections. When there are respiratory infections, you should go to medical facilities for examination, do not self-medicate because there may be risks to the health of mother and baby. Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package Maternity Care Program for pregnant women right from the first months of pregnancy with a full range of antenatal check-ups, periodical 3D and 4D ultrasounds and other routine tests to ensure that the mother is healthy and the fetus is developing comprehensively. Pregnant women will be consulted and checked for health under the close supervision of experienced and specialized obstetricians, helping mothers gain more knowledge to protect their health during pregnancy as well as minimize complications affecting mother and child.