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Few months ago,a 29-year-old man presented to our Emergency Department with chest pain,sweating and choking sensation. Around 5:00 am an ECG was performed which suggested acute heart attack. Patient was explained his condition and was taken for emergency angioplasty which was completed by 6:30 am. It was found that one of his arteries was 100 per cent occluded.
Is it possible to have a heart attack at such a young age?
Health History: Patient was a chronic smoker for 6-7 years,about one pack per day. And it is a proven fact that smoking is one of the most common causes of heart attacks in young patients. However, he had performed a stress test 2 months back, the result of which was negative.His cardiologist suggested that he has a perfect cardiac condition
What is a Stress Test?
In a stress test,you walk on a treadmill that makes your heart work progressively harder. An electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors your heart’s electrical rhythms. The doctor also measures your blood pressure and monitors whether you have symptoms like chest discomfort or fatigue. Abnormalities in blood pressure, heart rate, ECG or worsening physical symptoms could point to coronary artery disease (CAD) – fatty deposits (plaques) that reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
Treatment
It was fortunate that the patient’s condition was detected here at Kokilaben Hospital & treated on time.He was discharged after 3 days.However,to prevent future occurrence of heart attack,it was essential for him to quit smoking.Hence,the patient was advised Smoking Cessation.His past attempts to quit smoking had failed due to which he was sent to our Smoking Cessation Clinic & was prescribed medications to help him. After 3 weeks, the patient was advised to join the Cardiac rehabilitation programme at Kokilaben Hospital,where he was subjected to supervised exercise with pulse & blood pressure monitoring.Gradually,he was advised to exercise more & was made to jog by the end of 4 weeks.This practice has helped him recover considerably.
Conclusion: Smoking cessation reduces the chance of repeated heart attacks. Cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of treatment for patients with heart attack. It reduces the chances of repeat heart attacks & also controls the risk factors like sugar, cholesterol & blood pressure.
DIAGNOSIS
Myocardial Infarction is the most lifethreatening emergency with highest mortality in young adults. Treatment within golden hours would decrease the chances of mortality. It is always better to take preventive measures to avoid heart attack.One of the major risk factors of heart attack is smoking.
Quit Smoking before it Quits You
- Roughly 1 out of 5 deaths from heart disease is directly related to smoking.
- People who smoke are 2 to 4 times more likely to get heart disease.
- The risk is even greater for women who smoke and also take birth control pills.
- Second-hand smoke can also cause heart disease in people around you who don’t smoke.
Smoking Cessation
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital has a multidisciplinary approach for Smoking Cessation provided by a team of chest physicians, psychologist and psychiatrist. Often patient needs more than one type of treatment or at times several attempts to give up smoking. Our comprehensive Smoking Cessation services helps to tailor the treatment according to individual needs and past experiences. If you want to quit smoking,we are there to help.
Cardiac rehabilitation
It has evolved over the past decades from a simple monitoring for the safe return to physical activities to a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on patient education, individually tailored exercise training, modification of the risk factors & overall well-being of cardiac patients. It is an effective tool for care of the patients with heart disease.
Does stress test perfectly rule out the possibility of a cardiac problem?
No.The stress test result is never, by itself, certain. It can be used to move the probability up or down of having coronary artery disease.It can’t accurately diagnose the condition. Moreover, a patient can have a heart attack despite good stress test result, especially in smokers.