Different Types of Heart Attack Treatment

A heart attack (myocardial infarction- MI) is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate care to prevent damage to the ticker and death. The life-saving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR technique comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths) should be started if the victim goes into a cardiac arrest, when the heartbeat has stopped and the individual is unresponsive. Although, CPR doesn’t restart the ticker but keeps the victim alive until medical help arrives, that’s why the procedure is called life-saving.

AED or Automated External Defibrillator device is available in many public places these days which is an easy-to-use device, can be used by almost anyone to treat cardiac arrest. The device works by shocking the ticker back into a normal rhythm.

Heart attack treatment often begins in the ambulance itself if you called 911, or in the emergency room. Aspirin (a potent inhibitor of blood clots) is the first treatment given to a person suspected of having a heart attack. Aspirin can decrease the risk of death from MI by 25 percent.

MI Treatment in the Hospital:

A heart attack victim is rapidly given other drugs at the hospital or emergency facility to prevent further blood clotting in the ticker and decrease the strain on it. Treatment may also include a procedure to open up arteries that are blocked:

Balloon Angioplasty- This treatment can be performed during a cardiac catheterization that involves insertion of a balloon-tipped catheter into the blocked artery in the ticker. The balloon then is inflated gently to press plaque outward against the artery walls in order to open up the artery and improve the flow of blood.

Bypass Surgery- A surgeon re-routes blood flow around a blocked artery to re-establish blood flow to part of the ticker. Surgeons use a blood vessel from the victim’s leg or chest to bypass the blocked artery. Bypass surgery isn’t a part of the emergency care of MI and is usually done later.

Stent Placement- A small tube is inserted through a catheter into a blocked artery to open it up in the procedure. The stent is permanent and is usually made of metal or some other material that the body absorbs over time. The procedure is often performed alongside balloon angioplasty to help keep the artery open.

Patents of myocardial infarction are usually hospitalized in coronary care units (CCU) for at least 36 hours. They continue to receive a variety of drugs once past the critical phase that includes beta-blockers to slow the ticker; nitrates to increase ticker blood flow; blood thinners like aspirin, Brilinta, clopidogrel, Effient, heparin, or Plavix to prevent further clotting; ACE inhibitors; Statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs are now given routinely to help with healing of heart muscle and to lower the risk of another episode) and a “baby” aspirin.

A patient’s ticker in the hospital is constantly monitored by electrocardiogram (ECG) in case abnormal heart rhythms develop. A patient may be given various medications if his or her ticker starts beating too fast or too slow. A pacemaker may also need to be fitted in some patients to help maintain a steady heart rhythm. An electric shock is administered to the chest of a patient in case the patient experiences a dangerous arrhythmia known as Ventricular Fibrillation. Doctors give a variety of medications to patients who show signs of heart failure. The medications decrease strain on the ticker and encourages the ticker to beat more forcefully.

Choose a certified training site for acquiring CPR training such as the AHA certified CPR Memphis in Tennessee. For more information, contact us on 901-438-4200.