Myocardial Infarction
Commonly known as "heart attack"
What is myocardial infarction and who is likely to get it?
The heart requires oxygen and nutrients. Two large coronary arteries deliver oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. If one of these arteries becomes blocked, then a portion of the heart is starved of oxygen and results in "cardiac ischemia". If cardiac ischemia lasts too long, the starved heart tissue dies otherwise known as myocardial infarction. People who are likely to get it include old age, family history, preeclampsia, obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol, etc.
Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Faintness
- Nausea
- In some cases, there are no symptoms at all
Diagnosis
- EKG (Electrocardiogram) is a simple, painless test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity. An EKG can show signs of heart damage due to coronary heart disease and signs of a previous or current heart attack.
- Blood Tests is used to measure the amount of the proteins in the bloodstream. As the heart muscle cells die during a heart attack, they release proteins into the bloodstream. Higher than normal levels of these proteins suggest a heart attack.
- Coronary Angiography is a test that uses dye and special x-rays to show the insides of the coronary arteries to help find blockages.
Treatment Methods
- Aspirin to prevent further blood clotting
- Nitroglycerin to reduce the heart's workload and improve blood flow through the coronary arteries
- Oxygen therapy
- Medication for chest pain
- Thrombolytic medicines, also called clot busters, are used to dissolve blood clots that are blocking the coronary arteries.
Prognosis
The long-term prognosis for both length and quality of life after a heart attack depends on its severity, the amount of damage sustained by the heart muscle, and the precautionary measures taken afterward.
Informative Video
Acute Myocardial Infarction - Heart Attack
Citations
- http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/155919-overview
- http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/understanding-heart-attack-basics
- http://patient.info/health/myocardial-infarction-heart-attack
- https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000195.htm
- http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/heart-attack/prognosis.html