Heart attack

Description

Heart attack or myocardial infarction is a life-threatening condition characterized by compromised blood flow towards the heart resulting in irreversible tissue damage. It is usually due to blocking of heart arteries by deposition of fat or cholesterol. Angina (chest pain) may occur when the coronary arteries are partially blocked.

Causes

Atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart attack. It is the deposition of fats or cholesterol on the artery wall, restricting the blood flow. Other causes of heart attack include:

Coronary artery spasm: It is the contraction of coronary arteries leading to restriction of blood flow towards the heart resulting in irreversible tissue damage.
Coronary artery dissection: It is a tear in the coronary artery resulting in reduced blood flow towards the heart, causing irreversible damage leading to a heart attack.

Risk factors

Several risk factors increase your chances of getting a heart attack. Some of them are:

Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
Old age
Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
Family history of heart attacks

Symptoms

A person suffering from a heart attack will experience the following:

Lightheadedness or dizziness
Exhaustion
Excessive cold sweat breaking out
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Difficulty in breathing
Severe pressure or squeezing sensation in your chest or arms that can spread to the neck, jaw or back.

Diagnosis

Heart attack is an emergency condition. If sign and symptoms are present, your doctor will ask a few questions and run a few tests, including:

ECG: To record and check the electrical activity of heart.
Blood tests: Certain heart proteins and enzymes are present in the blood after heart damage.
Chest X-ray: To examine the size and vessels of heart.
Echocardiogram: An ultrasound of moving heart.

Management

Since it is an emergency situation so the goal of management is to save the life of the patient. It includes:

Medicines:

Aspirin
Anti-platelet drug like clopidogrel
Nitroglycerin
Thrombolytics
Pain relievers.

Surgical management:

Angioplasty:

It is a minimally invasive procedure to open the blocked arteries. A thin tube is inserted into the artery to reach the blockage followed by inflation of device in the artery to reopen the artery.

Stenting:

Following angioplasty, a tube mesh is inserted into the artery to prevent closing.

Bypass surgery:

This surgery involves bypass of blood from the blocked artery towards the heart.

Lifestyle modification:

After surviving a heart attack, your doctor will recommend you:

A healthy strict diet
Avoid smoking and alcohol
Exercise regularly
Control your cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure
Avoid stress
Maintain a healthy weight.

When to consult a doctor?

If you experience any of the symptoms of a heart attack, you should call an ambulance, or be taken to a hospital right away.
All kinds of heart diseases and problems are best managed by a cardiologist and help from an expert doctor.