For several days, Debnathbabu experienced a feeling of tightness in his chest while walking. His chest felt heavy, and he had to stop and rest to relieve the discomfort. Assuming it was just gastritis or gas, he started taking antacids. Despite the symptoms, he continued with his daily activities, taking breaks whenever the chest heaviness occurred. However, one evening after dinner, he felt a burning sensation in the left side of his chest, which intensified over time. He began sweating profusely, and his hands and feet turned cold. His family rushed him to a nearby hospital, where tests revealed he had suffered a major heart attack. The news was devastating for his family, who struggled to come to terms with the sudden turn of events.

Debnathbabu's wife asked the doctor, "He was perfectly fine before dinner last night. What could have caused this sudden issue?"

The doctor explained, "This didn't happen overnight. The blockage in the coronary arteries (the main arteries supplying oxygen and nutrients to the heart) developed over a long period. Symptoms of blockage typically appear when the coronary arteries blood flow pathway becomes significantly narrowed or when a blood clot forms, completely blocking the artery."

The doctor continued, "You mentioned your husband was fine until last night, but the truth is, he wasn't. He had been experiencing symptoms – the chest heaviness and pressure when walking – which he dismissed as gas issues."

The question is, how dangerous is this type of problem? It's a highly risky situation. Ignoring heart issues, mistaking them for gas pain, and then experiencing a sudden heart attack can be fatal. In fact, 15-20% of patients may even die from it.

If a heart attack occurs, rush the patient to the nearest hospital or healthcare center as quickly as possible. Every second counts. A coronary angiography will then be performed to determine the nature, number, and severity of the blockages in the heart. Treatment will be planned accordingly. Based on the angiography report, it will be decided whether stenting or bypass surgery is required. Regardless of the treatment, lifestyle

modification is crucial. This includes maintaining a healthy weight, controlling diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol, adopting a healthy diet, and quitting smoking and alcohol consumption. Additionally, medications to prevent further heart blockages may need to be taken lifelong.

Many people believe that after bypass surgery, their lifestyle will be heavily restricted. Is that true? After bypass surgery, there are some restrictions during the initial phase, such as avoiding heavy lifting and twisting motions. However, most people can resume their normal activities within one and half to three months.