A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is interrupted. Oxygen can't get to the heart muscle, causing tissue damage or tissue death.
A heart attack may be caused by:
These factors increase your chance of developing heart attack. Tell your doctor if you have any of these:
Symptoms include:
Unusual symptoms of heart attack (may occur more frequently in women):
If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 right away.
Tests may include:
Treatment includes:
If you have severe blockages, you may need surgery. Surgery includes:
According to a review, patients who received CABG had more angina relief and less need for another, similar procedure. This is compared to those who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PCI involves techniques using balloon angioplasty or coronary stenting .
During recovery , you may need physical or rehabilitative therapy to help you regain your strength.
You may feel depressed after having a heart attack. Therapy and medication can help relieve depression .
If you have a heart attack, follow your doctor's instructions .
Preventing or treating coronary artery disease may help prevent a heart attack.
RESOURCES:
American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/
Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://www.heartandstroke.com/
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Heart Healthy Kit: Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/
Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/
References:
Heart attack. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-attack/DS00094/DSECTION=8 . Updated 2007. Accessed June 29, 2008.
Meier MA, Al-Badr WH, Cooper JV, et al. The new definition of myocardial infarction: diagnostic and prognostic implications in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Arch Intern Med . 2002;162:1585-1589.
Mollet NR, Cademartiri F, van Mieghem CA, et al. High-resolution spiral computed tomography coronary angiography in patients referred for diagnostic conventional coronary angiography. Circulation . 2005;112:2318-2323. Epub 2005 Oct 3.
Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy 2001 . 53rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 2001.
What is a heart attack? American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3007482 . Accessed June 29, 2008.
Women Physicians Congress. What you need to know about heart disease. American Medical Association website. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/11021.html . Updated 2008. Accessed June 29, 2008.
11/7/2007 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Bravata DM, Gienger AL, McDonald KM, et al. Systematic Review: The comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]
7/6/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Antithrombotic Trialists' (ATT) Collaboration, Baigent C, Blackwell L, et al. Aspirin in the primary and secondary prevention of vascular disease: collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomised trials. Lancet. 2009;373:1849-1860.
Last reviewed September 2009 by David N. Smith, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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