Heart attack best treatment options

Heart attack is a very serious problem and the quicker the treatment, better the chance of survival. The main reason for a heart attack is complete blockage of one of the coronary arteries by a blood clot. The longer the artery remains blocked more the damage to the heart and more the chance of not surviving the attack. The damage to the heart is also often permanent and may cause severe long-term consequences.The aim is,therefore,to remove the blood clot and restore flow down the artery into the heart muscle.

Treatment options

There are two treatment options:

1) Primary Angioplasty

This consists of taking the patient to the cardiac catheterization lab, doing a coronary angiogram to locate the clot and then implanting a stent to open & to keep the artery open. This rapidly restores the blood flow and allows the patient to stabilize.It is truly a life-saving procedure. Of course one must realize that in spite of the angioplasty the patient may have complications and may not survive. However, it certainly improves your chance of survival and the earlier it is done after the artery is blocked, the better the chances.This is why we talk of the “golden hour”and suggest patients to not wait at home or wait for a doctor to see them,but immediately proceed to the nearest hospital where facilities are available.

The problem with angioplasty is that it requires the availability of the catheterization lab, a trained cardiologist and the whole team of anaesthetists, nurses and technicians. It is also an expensive procedure,however it is the cost of materials used that adds to the cost. At Kokilaben hospital the patient’s immediate treatment is our priority and is never delayed due to costing issues. Angioplasty can often be difficult to organize quickly at night;however at Kokilaben hospital, we have an active primary angioplasty programme so that the time between reaching the hospital and opening the artery, which is so
crucial,is kept as short as possible.

2) Thrombolysis

Thrombolysis is a treatment method where a clot dissolving medicine is given intravenously immediately upon the diagnosis of a heart attack. This medicine dissolves the clot in a majority of patients, allowing restoration of blood flow in the blocked artery. The advantage of this form of treatment is that it is easy to give, does not require any special facilities and can be done at any nursing home even if angiography facilities are not available. It is also less expensive;there are a variety of newer thrombolytic agents available, which though more expensive are better in dissolving the clot and producing fewer side effects. The earlier the medicine is given the better the results and in many countries it is given in the cardiac ambulance itself to save time.

The drawback of this therapy is that it is not always effective and that some patients may continue to remain in the problem as the clot does not dissolve or the clot reforms and again blocks the artery. In that case, it is necessary to take the patient for immediate angioplasty. Even those patients who respond to clot dissolving, need to have an angiography done in the next 24 hours to see if they need an angioplasty as they may have an underlying narrowing of the artery which needs to be opened and stented for long-term benefit.

Along with either of these treatments the patient is given other medicines like aspirin, statins, arterial vasodilators and painkillers.

Points to remember

• If symptoms are noticed, report immediately to a doctor to confirm or rule out heart attack.
• Keep a list of nursing homes or hospitals closest to home and work place where these facilities are available.
• Be prepared if heart attack is confirmed to go ahead with thrombolytic treatment or primary angioplasty.Do not waste time waiting for relatives and second opinion , unless immediately available. Remember that for both treatments time is vital, even a short delay may cost you your life.

Educate yourself about heart attack and its management;it is the best way to get the right treatment when heart attack strikes.Do it now,don’t wait for it to strike.

Be heart healthy

The way you choose to live your life affects your health directly. If you’ve developed some unhealthy habits, your heart may be paying the eventual price. Replacing these habits with healthy ones is much easier said than done, but if you do it; your heart will appreciate your efforts in long run! Here are some tips:

• Don’t Smoke
• Minimize stress
• Eat a balanced diet
• Get regular physicals
• Eat less sugar and fat
• Know your family history
• Maintain a healthy body weight