A heart attack happens when the heart does not get enough blood flow and oxygen. This can cause heart muscle to die. You might hear doctors call it a myocardial infarction or MI. Most people will need to stay in the ICU.
What causes a heart attack?
- Blood clots blocking blood flow to the heart. This is more common in patients with “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis).
- The heart needing more oxygen than the blood vessels can supply
Who is at highest risk for a heart attack?
- Diabetics
- People whose family members have had heart attacks
- People with high cholesterol
- Cocaine users
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- High fat diet
- People over 65
- Overweight people
- People who are already very sick in the hospital
How is it treated?
- Medicines that can:
- Help the heart to not work as hard
- Help with pain
- Lower cholesterol
- Thin the blood
- Oxygen
- Constant heart monitoring
- Some people will have a surgery to open blood vessels around the heart. This is done by inserting a tube placed in a blood vessel in the groin (called cardiac catheterization)
- Some people will need open heart surgery; this could mean transfer to another hospital
What can I expect?
- Chest pain and heaviness which is treated with pain killer and heart medicines
- Shortness of breath and oxygen treatment
- Feelings of anxiety
What can happen afterwards?
- It is very common to feel sad or depressed after a heart attack
- Problems with the heartbeat
- Death