Evaluating your heart attack
If you are having a heart attack, your doctor will need to answer the following four questions to decide on the right treatment:
Do you need emergency treatment to open up your coronary arteries?
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks one of your coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle). The longer the artery is blocked, the more your heart is damaged. Emergency treatment for a heart attack can:
- Open up the blocked arteries.
- Restore blood flow to the heart.
- Limit the damage to your heart.
There are three types of emergency treatments for a heart attack that can restore blood flow to the heart muscle:
- Angioplasty: A tiny balloon attached to a thin tube called a catheter is inserted into your artery to open it. This is usually combined with a stent, which expands the artery to keep it open.
- Thrombolytic drugs: These drugs help dissolve the blood clot that is blocking your artery.
- Bypass surgery: This surgical procedure creates a "detour" around the blocked artery.
What other treatment might you need to control your symptoms or limit the damage to your heart?
You might need oxygen therapy or any of the following medicines:
- Nitroglycerin
- ASA and other antiplatelet medicines
- Morphine
- Beta-blockers
- Heparin
- Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Has your heart attack caused any other health problems that need to be treated?
Your heart attack can cause other serious health problems. While you are in the hospital, you will be watched closely for complications. You will need further treatment if your heart attack causes:
- Heart failure.
- Cardiogenic shock.
- A heartbeat that is too slow, too fast, or irregular.
- A stroke.
- Angina that continues despite medical treatment.
- Heart valve problems.
After you are out of danger, what other treatment do you need for coronary artery disease?
After you get medical treatment in the hospital for your heart attack, you will need long-term treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD) to prevent another heart attack. Your treatment depends on your risk of future heart problems. For more information, see the topic Coronary Artery Disease.
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: February 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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