If you have this blood type, you are more likely to have a heart attack than others.
In the collective imagination, a heart attack is still perceived as a sudden, unforeseen event. The reality, however, is often different. It's often a process that unfolds gradually over the course of years, as a person lives, works, struggles, and, at most, feels more tired than usual.
Furthermore, the risk isn't the same for everyone. Lifestyle, family history, blood pressure, cholesterol, stress—all these factors are important. And recently, a factor that few people initially think about is gaining increasing importance: blood type.
Blood type alone doesn't determine what happens to a person. Rather, it can be one indicator among many that helps us understand why it's more important for some people to pay more attention to their heart health.
What happens in the body during a heart attack?
A heart attack occurs when a part of the heart muscle suddenly stops receiving adequate oxygen and nutrients. The most common cause is a blockage in a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart, such as a blood clot or the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque that forms a blockage.
In this situation, time is of the essence. The longer the oxygen deprivation lasts, the greater the damage. Many people associate oxygen deprivation with the classic, oppressive chest pain that can radiate to the left arm, neck, or jaw, but shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, and dizziness can also occur.
The picture isn't always so clear. Women and older people may experience more unusual symptoms, such as sudden malaise, gastrointestinal disturbances, or severe fatigue that is difficult to identify. For this reason, diagnosis is sometimes delayed, although timely intervention can make a big difference.
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