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Heart Attack Diagnosis And Treatment And Memphis CPR Classes

Every year, more than a million Americans have heart attacks or myocardial infarction (MI) which is permanent damage to the heart muscle. The heart muscle requires a constant supply of oxygenated blood for nourishment which is provided by the coronary arteries. So if you have coronary artery disease, those arteries become narrow and blood cannot flow as well as it should. There’s a buildup of fatty matter, calcium, proteins, and inflammatory cells within the arteries to form plaques of different sizes. The outer shell of the plaque cracks (plaque rapture) when the plaque is hard, platelets come to the area leading to the formation of blood clots around the plaque. The heart muscle becomes “starved” for oxygen if a blood clot totally blocks the artery. Death of heart muscle occurs within a short time causing permanent damage. This is what a heart attack is.


After a Heart Attack:
After MI occurrence, quick treatment to open the blocked artery is vital to lessen the amount of damage. Dial 911 right away at the first signs of a heart attack. Symptoms include discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone; discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm; fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn); sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness; rapid or irregular heartbeats; extreme weakness or shortness of breath. It is important for the patient to receive treatment within one to two hours of the first onset of symptoms as waiting longer increases the damage to the ticker thus reducing the chances of survival.

Diagnosis:
To diagnose MI, the emergency care team asks about an individual’s symptoms and then starts the process of evaluation. The diagnosis of MI is based on one’s symptoms and test results with the main goal of the treatment being treating and limiting heart muscle damage.
Tests to diagnose MI include

ECG- ECG or electrocardiogram tells how much damage has occurred to the heart muscle and where it has occurred. Furthermore, your heart rate and rhythm can also be monitored.

Echocardiography- It is an imaging test that doctors use during and after MI to learn how the ticker is pumping and what areas are not pumping normally.

Cardiac Catheterization- Doctors may use cardiac cath during the first hours of a heart attack if medications aren’t relieving the ischemia (reduced blood flow) or symptoms. It is used to directly visualize the blocked artery that helps doctors determine which procedure is needed to treat the blockage.

Blood Tests
Treatments for a Heart Attack:
Drugs- The main objectives of drug therapy are to break up or prevent blood clots, prevent platelets from gathering and sticking to the plaque, stabilize the plaque, and prevent further ischemia. Drugs used during a heart attack include aspirin; other antiplatelets, such as Brilinta, Effient, or Plavix; thrombolytic therapy to dissolve any blood clots in the heart's arteries.

Angioplasty- Procedures, such as angioplasty or stents are used in some cases to open up narrowed or blocked arteries. If necessary, bypass surgery may also be performed in the days following MI to restore the supply of blood to the heart muscle.

Having had a heart attack or treatment does not mean you will never have another event. Some steps you can take to prevent further attacks include taking your medications, changing your lifestyle and seeing your doctor for regular heart checkups.

Equip yourself in the life-saving CPR procedure by signing up for a course at CPR Memphis today. Learn more by contacting us on 901-438-4200.
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