Heart Attack: Key Notes & Top 25 MCQs for UPSC Exams
🎧 Listen to The Story & Top 10 Tips
Bhagyesh’s Untimely Heartbreak
A Vibrant Beginning
Bhagyesh was a bright 27-year-old youth from Bengaluru, full of life and laughter. His presence filled his church with joy, and his friends admired his faith and kindness. Recently married to Vidhi and blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Adrishta, his life seemed to hold every promise of happiness. He worked in a well-known tech company, determined to give his young family a secure future.
The Fast Life in the City
Like many young professionals, Bhagyesh quickly got caught in the whirlwind of Bengaluru’s corporate culture. Long hours, late-night projects, and endless meetings became the norm. Home-cooked meals gave way to greasy takeaways, and football matches with friends were replaced by hours in front of a glowing laptop screen. His young wife often pleaded with him to slow down, to take care of his health, but Bhagyesh would only smile and say, “I’m strong, I’m still young.”
Hidden Struggles
Beneath his cheerful surface, stress gnawed silently at him. The pressure to provide, the constant deadlines, and sleepless nights wore him down. His chest would sometimes feel heavy, his breath would catch, but he brushed it aside as simple tiredness. His wife noticed his fatigue and worry lines, yet he reassured her that everything was fine. Little did they know, high cholesterol, rising sugar levels, and silent hypertension were building a storm within his body.
A Silent Storm
The polluted city air, lack of exercise, and mounting anxiety only worsened his hidden condition. The heart that once beat strongly with dreams of a better tomorrow was growing weaker each day. But because there were no regular check-ups, no tests, no doctor visits, the warning signs went unnoticed.
The Day Everything Changed
One ordinary morning, while preparing for work, Bhagyesh suddenly collapsed. His wife screamed for help as she held their baby, tears streaming down her face. Neighbours rushed in, and soon he was on the way to the hospital. Hours later, the doctor emerged with words that shattered their world: a massive heart attack had claimed his life. Twenty-seven years of hope, laughter, and love ended in a single moment.
The Family Left Behind
His young wife, Vidhi, sat in disbelief, clutching her daughter, Adrishta, tightly. The baby, too small to understand, reached out for her father, but he would never return to hold her again. The house that once echoed with laughter now carried a heavy silence. His wife, barely in her twenties, faced a future filled with loneliness and struggles, raising their child alone. She would bear the double burden of being both mother and father, while silently carrying the ache of a love cut short.
Lessons Left Behind
Bhagyesh’s story is not just about loss but about awakening. His passing became a painful reminder that heart attacks are no longer an “old man’s disease.” It can touch the young, the vibrant, the hopeful. His church remembered him with tears, and his pastor reminded the community, “God gives us life, but it is our duty to care for the body entrusted to us.”
A Call to the Young
Today, Bhagyesh’s memory urges young people to pause before it is too late—to eat better, move more, rest well, and seek regular health check-ups. For his wife and little girl, life has been forever changed. And for others, his story stands as a plea: cherish your health before it is stolen in silence.
Top 25 MCQs on Heart Attack for UPSC Exams
Practice the Top 25 MCQs on Heart Attack to strengthen understanding of cardiovascular risk factors, prevention, and emergency response, enhancing exam readiness for UPSC prelims and other competitive examinations.
1. What is the medical term for a Heart Attack?
a) Cardiac Arrest
b) Myocardial Infarction
c) Angina Pectoris
d) Stroke
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Answer: b) Myocardial Infarction
"Myo" means muscle, "cardial" refers to the heart, and "infarction" means tissue death due to lack of blood supply.
2. A heart attack primarily occurs when:
a) The heart beats too fast
b) Blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked
c) The heart stops beating suddenly
d) The lungs fill with water
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Answer: b) Blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked
[Image of coronary artery blockage heart attack]
It is a "circulation" problem. If a coronary artery is blocked by a clot, the heart muscle begins to die from lack of oxygen.
3. What is the fundamental difference between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest?
a) No difference
b) Heart Attack is a plumbing problem; Cardiac Arrest is an electrical problem
c) Cardiac Arrest is mild
d) Heart Attack stops the heart instantly
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Answer: b) Heart Attack is a plumbing problem; Cardiac Arrest is an electrical problem
A heart attack is a blocked artery. Cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions electrically and stops beating unexpectedly.
4. Which substance builds up in arteries to cause "Atherosclerosis," leading to heart attacks?
a) Calcium only
b) Plaque (Cholesterol, fat, and cellular waste)
c) Iron
d) Red blood cells
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Answer: b) Plaque (Cholesterol, fat, and cellular waste)
[Image of atherosclerosis plaque buildup]
Plaque narrows the arteries and makes them hard. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot forms, blocking the artery completely.
5. Which common medication is often recommended to chew during a suspected heart attack (if not allergic)?
a) Paracetamol
b) Aspirin (Disprin)
c) Vitamin C
d) Ibuprofen
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Answer: b) Aspirin (Disprin)
Aspirin is a blood thinner. Chewing it inhibits platelets, preventing the clot from getting bigger and improving blood flow.
6. What is "Angina"?
a) A heart attack
b) Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart (a warning sign)
c) Heartburn
d) A type of surgery
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Answer: b) Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart (a warning sign)
Stable angina happens during exertion and goes away with rest. It indicates underlying heart disease but is not yet a heart attack.
7. Which protein is released into the blood when heart muscle is damaged, used as a key diagnostic marker?
a) Insulin
b) Troponin
c) Hemoglobin
d) Keratin
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Answer: b) Troponin
High levels of Troponin in a blood test confirm that heart muscle cells are dying or damaged, indicating a heart attack.
8. The "Golden Hour" in heart attack treatment refers to:
a) The first hour after waking up
b) The first 60 minutes after symptom onset where treatment is most effective
c) The hour before sleeping
d) Surgery time
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Answer: b) The first 60 minutes after symptom onset where treatment is most effective
Getting medical help within this window drastically reduces the amount of permanent heart muscle damage and saves lives.
9. Which diagnostic test records the electrical activity of the heart to detect a heart attack?
a) MRI
b) ECG / EKG (Electrocardiogram)
c) X-ray
d) CT Scan
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Answer: b) ECG / EKG (Electrocardiogram)
It is the quickest way to identify if a heart attack is happening (e.g., STEMI) by showing changes in the heart's electrical waves.
10. "Angioplasty" is a medical procedure used to:
a) Replace the heart
b) Open blocked arteries using a balloon and often a stent
c) Remove the lungs
d) Measure blood pressure
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Answer: b) Open blocked arteries using a balloon and often a stent
[Image of angioplasty with stent procedure]
A catheter is threaded to the blockage, a balloon is inflated to squash the plaque, and a wire mesh (stent) keeps the artery open.
11. Pain radiating to which arm is a classic symptom of a heart attack (especially in men)?
a) Right arm
b) Left arm
c) Both legs
d) Right foot
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Answer: b) Left arm
Pain often starts in the chest and spreads to the left shoulder, arm, neck, or jaw due to shared nerve pathways.
12. "Silent Heart Attacks" usually occur without chest pain and are more common in:
a) Athletes
b) Diabetics and Women
c) Teenagers
d) Smokers
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Answer: b) Diabetics and Women
Due to nerve damage (in diabetics) or different symptom presentation, they might only feel fatigue, nausea, or shortness of breath.
13. "CABG" stands for which major heart surgery?
a) Cardiac Arterial Blockage Graft
b) Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
c) Cardio Area Blood Group
d) Central Artery Block Guard
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Answer: b) Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
Surgeons take a healthy blood vessel from the leg or chest and create a new path ("bypass") around the blocked artery to restore flow.
14. Which type of cholesterol is known as "Bad Cholesterol" because it deposits plaque?
a) HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)
b) LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)
c) Triglycerides
d) Protein
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Answer: b) LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)
High levels of LDL transport cholesterol to the arteries, where it accumulates. HDL is "good" because it removes cholesterol.
15. What is the drug "Nitroglycerin" used for in heart patients?
a) To clot blood
b) To relieve chest pain (Angina) by widening blood vessels
c) To increase heart rate
d) To digest food
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Answer: b) To relieve chest pain (Angina) by widening blood vessels
Usually taken as a sublingual (under the tongue) tablet or spray, it rapidly dilates coronary arteries to improve blood flow.
16. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is performed when:
a) The patient has chest pain but is awake
b) The patient is unconscious and not breathing (Cardiac Arrest)
c) The patient is coughing
d) The patient is dizzy
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Answer: b) The patient is unconscious and not breathing (Cardiac Arrest)
CPR manually pumps blood to the brain and organs when the heart stops. It is not done on someone who is awake.
17. Which lifestyle factor is the single most preventable cause of heart attacks?
a) Drinking coffee
b) Smoking tobacco
c) Walking
d) Eating apples
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Answer: b) Smoking tobacco
Chemicals in smoke damage the lining of blood vessels, increase blood clotting, and lower good cholesterol.
18. "Trans Fats" found in processed foods increase heart attack risk by:
a) Lowering LDL and raising HDL
b) Raising LDL (bad) and lowering HDL (good) cholesterol
c) Cleaning arteries
d) Reducing inflammation
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Answer: b) Raising LDL (bad) and lowering HDL (good) cholesterol
Artificial trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) are so harmful that many countries have banned them from food production.
19. The "Coronary Arteries" are responsible for:
a) Pumping blood to the lungs
b) Supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle itself
c) Carrying blood to the brain
d) Filtering blood
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Answer: b) Supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle itself
If these specific arteries get blocked, the heart muscle starves, resulting in a heart attack.
20. What is an "AED"?
a) A diet plan
b) Automated External Defibrillator
c) Artery Evaluation Device
d) Artificial Energy Drug
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Answer: b) Automated External Defibrillator
A portable device that checks heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm during cardiac arrest.
21. "Ischemia" refers to:
a) Irregular heartbeat
b) Restricted blood supply to tissues
c) High blood pressure
d) Death of tissue
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Answer: b) Restricted blood supply to tissues
Cardiac ischemia is when the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen. If prolonged, it leads to infarction (tissue death).
22. A "Stress Test" (Treadmill test) is used to diagnos:
a) How fast you can run
b) How the heart works under physical exertion
c) Brain function
d) Knee strength
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Answer: b) How the heart works under physical exertion
Doctors monitor ECG and BP while the patient exercises to find blockages that might not show up while resting.
23. "Thrombolytics" are drugs used in emergency rooms to:
a) Stop pain
b) Dissolve blood clots (Clot busters)
c) Lower fever
d) Induce sleep
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Answer: b) Dissolve blood clots (Clot busters)
If angioplasty isn't available quickly, these drugs can dissolve the clot blocking the artery to restore blood flow.
24. Which symptom is often reported by women having a heart attack instead of crushing chest pain?
a) Extreme fatigue, nausea, or jaw/back pain
b) Earache
c) Itchy skin
d) Sneezing
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Answer: a) Extreme fatigue, nausea, or jaw/back pain
Women are more likely to have atypical symptoms, which can lead to delays in seeking diagnosis and treatment.
25. What is a "Stent"?
a) A pacemaker
b) A tiny wire mesh tube used to keep an artery open
c) A plastic valve
d) A camera
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Answer: b) A tiny wire mesh tube used to keep an artery open
Placed during angioplasty, it remains in the artery permanently to prevent it from narrowing again.
Top 10 Tips for Youngsters to Protect Their Hearts
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.webp "Stay Physically Active")
Table: Modern Youth: Problems & Reasons
🌿 Tip: Walk daily, eat rainbow veggies, avoid smoking, alcohol, narcotics; schedule health check-ups.
Video: Watch "Heart Attack in 20s: A Wake-Up Call for the Young"
Conclusion
Bhagyesh’s untimely death reminds us that heart disease is no longer distant—it threatens even the young. His story calls us to action: eat rainbow vegetables, stay active, avoid smoking, alcohol, and narcotics, manage stress, balance career pressure, sleep well, build healthy relationships, and get regular health checks. Each simple step strengthens the heart and protects the future. By living wisely today, youngsters can honor his memory and safeguard tomorrow’s dreams.
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