Treatment FAQ

what is the first line of treatment for heart attack

by Brenden Lebsack II Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If you think someone is having a heart attack: Have the person sit down, rest, and try to keep calm. Loosen any tight clothing. Ask if the person takes any chest pain medicine, such as nitroglycerin for a known heart condition, and help them take it.Dec 10, 2020

Medication

The initial treatment of a heart attack at the time of these interviews (2004 and 2011) included pain relief, thrombolysis (clot busting) and other blood thinning drugs (e.g. aspirin), given by ambulance staff or at the hospital. Many of these treatments are still given in the same way.

Procedures

Exercise. Regular exercise helps improve heart muscle function after a heart attack and helps prevent a heart attack. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Maintain a healthy weight.

Therapy

Your doctor will recommend the best combination of heart attack medications for your situation. Anticoagulant: Used to treat certain blood vessel, heart and lung conditions. Antiplatelet agent: Keeps blood clots from forming by preventing blood platelets from sticking together.

What is the initial treatment for a heart attack?

If the hospital determines you had an NSTEMI heart attack, doctors typically use one of two treatment strategies. Both may involve a test called cardiac catheterization to examine the inside of your heart: The ischemia-guided strategy uses various drugs (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) to inhibit blood clot formation.

What is the best way to recover from a heart attack?

What are the best medications for a heart attack?

What are the treatment options for a NSTEMI heart attack?

What is a heart attack called?

What is the ischemia guided strategy?

What is a stent used for?

What is the alternative to bypass surgery?

What is the early invasive strategy?

Can calcium channel blocker be used for high blood pressure?

See more

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ACC/AHA Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Acute Myocardial ...

Prehospital Issues. Each year 900 000 people in the United States experience acute MI. Of these, roughly 225 000 die, including 125 000 who die “in the field” before obtaining medical care.

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What to do after a heart attack?

Having a heart attack is scary, and you might wonder how it will affect your life and whether you'll have another one. Fear, anger, guilt and depression are all common after a heart attack. Discussing them with your doctor, a family member or a friend might help.

How to prevent heart attack?

Exercise. Regular exercise helps improve heart muscle function after a heart attack and helps prevent a heart attack. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Maintain a healthy weight.

How does an echocardiogram help?

An echocardiogram can help identify whether an area of your heart has been damaged. Coronary catheterization (angiogram). A liquid dye is injected into the arteries of your heart through a long, thin tube (catheter) that's fed through an artery, usually in your leg or groin, to the arteries in your heart.

How long does it take to recover from a cardiac rehab?

Most hospitals offer programs that might start while you're in the hospital and continue for weeks to a couple of months after you return home. Cardiac rehabilitation programs generally focus on four main areas — medications, lifestyle changes, emotional issues and a gradual return to your normal activities.

How long does it take to recover from a heart attack?

If possible, however, you might have bypass surgery after your heart has had time — about three to seven days — to recover from your heart attack.

What is the best medicine for heart failure?

Beta blockers. These medications help relax your heart muscle, slow your heartbeat and decrease blood pressure, making your heart's job easier. Beta blockers can limit the amount of heart muscle damage and prevent future heart attacks. ACE inhibitors.

How is heparin given?

Heparin is given by IV or by an injection under your skin. Pain relievers. You might be given a pain reliever, such as morphine. Nitroglycerin. This medication, used to treat chest pain (angina), can help improve blood flow to the heart by widening (dilating) the blood vessels. Beta blockers.

What is the treatment for a heart attack?

This is called dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT).

What is a heart attack called?

The type of heart attack (also called myocardial infarction, or MI) you experienced determines the treatments that your medical team will recommend. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in one or more coronary arteries reduces or stops blood flow to the heart, which starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen.

What to do if someone has a heart attack?

What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack 1 Call 911 or your local emergency number. Don't ignore the symptoms of a heart attack. If you can't get an ambulance or emergency vehicle to come to you, have a neighbor or a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only if you have no other option. Because your condition can worsen, driving yourself puts you and others at risk. 2 Chew and swallow an aspirin while waiting for emergency help. Aspirin helps keep your blood from clotting. When taken during a heart attack, it could reduce heart damage. Don't take aspirin if you are allergic to it or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin. 3 Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed while waiting for emergency medical help. 4 Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing after you call for emergency medical help.#N#Push hard and fast on the center of the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute. 5 If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is immediately available and the person is unconscious, follow the device instructions for using it.

How to treat heart attack with nitroglycerin?

If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed while waiting for emergency medical help. Begin CPR if the person is unconscious . If the person isn 't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing ...

How to do CPR if you are unconscious?

Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing after you call for emergency medical help. Push hard and fast on the center of the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute.

How long does chest pain last after a heart attack?

Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain. A heart attack generally causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes. Some people have mild chest pain, while others have more-severe pain. The discomfort is commonly described as a pressure or chest heaviness, although some people have no chest pain or pressure at all.

Why do you need to swallow aspirin?

Because your condition can worsen, driving yourself puts you and others at risk. Chew and swallow an aspirin while waiting for emergency help. Aspirin helps keep your blood from clotting. When taken during a heart attack, it could reduce heart damage.

What is the primary goal of treatment for a blocked artery?

Cardiac surgery. The primary goal of treatment is to quickly open the blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart muscle , a process called reperfusion.

How is nitroglycerin used in heart attacks?

Nitroglycerin is the most common nitrate used in the treatment of heart attacks. It can be given sublingually (under the tongue), as a spray, as a paste applied over skin, and intravenously. Intravenous nitroglycerine has a rapid onset of action and is commonly used in the initial (first 48 hours) treatment of heart attacks. Nitroglycerine is a vasodilator (blood vessel expander), that opens arteries by relaxing the muscular wall of the artery. Nitroglycerine dilates coronary arteries as well as other blood vessels throughout the body. By dilating blood vessels, nitroglycerine lowers blood pressure, decreases the work that the heart must do to pump blood, lowers the demand by the heart for oxygen, prevents coronary artery spasm, improves blood flow to the heart muscle, and potentially minimizes the size of the heart attack. Nitroglycerine is especially helpful in patients with heart attacks who also have heart failure or high blood pressure.

How do antiplatelets work?

Antiplatelet agents are medications that prevent blood clots from forming by inhibiting the aggregation of platelets. Platelets are fragments of cells that circulate in the blood. Platelets begin the formation of blood clots by clumping together (a process called aggregation). Platelet clumps are then strengthened and expanded by the action of clotting factors (coagulants) that result in the deposition of protein (fibrin) among the platelets. Aggregation of platelets occurs at the site of any injury or laceration, but it also occurs at the site of rupture of cholesterol plaques in the walls of coronary arteries. Formation of clots at the site of an injury or laceration is desirable because it prevents excessive loss of blood, but formation of clots inside coronary arteries blocks the arteries and causes heart attacks.

What are the different types of antiplatelet agents?

There are three types of antiplatelet agents -- aspirin, thienopyridines, and the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. These agents differ in their mode of action, antiplatelet potency, speed of onset of action, and cost. For more, please read the Aspirin and Antiplatelet Medications article.

How long does it take for a heart muscle to die?

If blood flow is not restored within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for 6 to 8 hours at which time ...

What is the name of the death of a heart muscle?

Share Your Story. A heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction or MI) is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage by a blood clot in a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen, causing injury to the heart muscle.

Is aspirin safe for heart attacks?

Numerous studies have shown that aspirin reduces mortality (by 25%) when given to patients with heart attacks. Aspirin is easy to use, safe at the low doses used for antiplatelet action, fast acting (with an onset of action within 30 minutes), and cheap.

What was the first treatment for a heart attack?

The initial treatment of a heart attack at the time of these interviews (2004 and 2011) included pain relief, thrombolysis (clot busting) and other blood thinning drugs (e.g. aspirin), given by ambulance staff or at the hospital. Many of these treatments are still given in the same way.

Why was ECG important in the ambulance?

This ECG was probably the most important because the doctors that were going to operate on me later were able to see the information of what my heart was doing at the time I entered the ambulance.

What does Mervyn describe in the ambulance?

Mervyn describes the treatments he received in the ambulance on his way to the hospital. This opens in a new window. Mervyn describes the treatments he received in the ambulance on his way to the hospital. Mervyn' So I rang NHS Direct and they said that.

Can angioplasty be done for heart attack?

Angioplasty as soon as possible as this would then not damage the heart any more than it had been damaged by my heart attack. Primary angioplasty: Is one of the first choices of treatment for most heart attacks. It is a procedure in which the clot causing the heart attack is disrupted with a balloon catheter.

Who told James he needed angioplasty?

The cardiologist at the hospital told James that he needed primary angioplasty without delay to... The cardiologist at the hospital told James that he needed primary angioplasty without delay to avoi from Dipex Charity on Vimeo. Play.

Did the ambulance crew do an ECG?

The ambulance crew did an ECG which was sent electronically to the hospital. On arrival, the doctor from Dipex Charity on Vimeo. This opens in a new window. The ambulance crew did an ECG which was sent electronically to the hospital.

What is the treatment for a heart attack?

This is called dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT).

What is a heart attack called?

The type of heart attack (also called myocardial infarction, or MI) you experienced determines the treatments that your medical team will recommend. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in one or more coronary arteries reduces or stops blood flow to the heart, which starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen.

What are the best medications for a heart attack?

When you are ready to go home, you will be prescribed several medications that have been proven to protect the heart, help it to function better, and prevent repeat heart attacks. Your medications will include some or all of the following: 1 Aspirin, to keep platelets in the blood from clumping together and forming blood clots 2 Another anti-clotting medication such as clopidogrel or prasugrel, or ticagrelor. How much anti-clotting medication you take, which specific drug, and how long you take it will depend on your medical condition and whether you were treated with a stenting procedure. 3 Beta blocker 4 Cholesterol-lowering therapy 5 Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB), if your heart is not pumping as strongly as it should

What is the treatment for a STEMI heart attack?

Treatment options include percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a term that encompasses both angioplasty and stenting; clot-busting medication; and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

What is the procedure that enables the doctor to see inside the arteries of the heart?

This means that you will go to the cardiac catheterization laboratory for angiography , a procedure that enables your doctor to see inside the arteries of your heart. Usually angiography is followed by PCI and stenting to widen clogged, inflamed portions of the arteries where blood clots may have formed.

How does a STEMI heart attack work?

The priority in treating a STEMI heart attack is to open the artery quickly, saving as much heart muscle as possible. Treatment options include percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a term that encompasses both angioplasty and stenting; clot-busting medication; and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

What is the first choice for the treatment of STEMI?

PCI is the first choice for the treatment of STEMI, if it is available. The goal is to open the artery within 90 minutes of the patient first receiving care by emergency medical workers, including ambulance personnel.

What is ECG in hospital?

Early hospital care. When you arrive at the hospital you will: Have an electrocardiogram (ECG) to evaluate your heart’s rhythm and look for abnormalities in the heart’s electrical system. Be treated with several medications that protect your heart and relieve pain.

What type of test is used to determine if chest pain is returning?

After that, if your chest pain has not returned and the diagnosis is still unclear, your doctor may order an imaging test of your heart (a nuclear scan, a type of ultrasound known as echocardiography, or a treadmill stress test). This will help to determine a final diagnosis.

What is a heart attack called?

The type of heart attack (also called myocardial infarction, or MI) you experienced determines the treatments that your medical team will recommend. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in one or more coronary arteries reduces or stops blood flow to the heart, which starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen.

What is the ischemia guided strategy?

Both may involve a test called cardiac catheterization to examine the inside of your heart: The ischemia-guided strategy uses various drugs (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) to inhibit blood clot formation. The early invasive strategy will start with the use of various drugs (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) to inhibit blood clot ...

What is a stent used for?

Stent procedure: A stent is a wire mesh tube used to prop open an artery during angioplasty. Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR): A laser is used to drill a series of holes from the outside of the heart into the heart’s pumping chamber.

What is the alternative to bypass surgery?

Minimally invasive heart surgery: An alternative to standard bypass surgery. Radiofrequency ablation: A catheter with an electrode at its tip is guided through the veins to the heart muscle to destroy carefully selected heart muscle cells in a very small area.

What is the early invasive strategy?

The early invasive strategy will start with the use of various drugs (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) to inhibit blood clot formation, but might also proceed to a medical therapy, a PCI with stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), followed by certain types of post-hospital care.

Can calcium channel blocker be used for high blood pressure?

They may be prescribed for outpatient high blood pressure use if the patient is at risk for heart failure. Calcium channel blocker: Interrupts the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. May decrease the heart’s pumping strength and relax the blood vessels.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Kabir Sethi
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Treatment depends on the severity. The main goal is to prevent further damage to the heart and to restore blood flow quickly, for which there are several medications and surgical treatments.
Medication

First aid: Oxygen therapy and drugs that reduce blood clotting and help in maintaining blood flow are given.

Aspirin . Nitroglycerine


Thrombolytics: Clot-busting medicines are recommended to dilute the clots formed in the arteries.

Tenecteplase . Alteplase . Urokinase . Reteplase


Supportive medicines: ACE inhibitors used to reduce strain on the heart. Anticoagulants, beta blockers, and statin medicines.

Quinapril . Clopidogrel . Atenolol . Atorvastatin

Procedures

Coronary angioplasty and stenting: Metal mesh stent is inserted into the artery to keep it open and restore blood flow to heart.

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG): Bypass surgery that allows blood flow to the heart. Usually recommended depending on the location of the blockage and if the stenting is not suitable.

Therapy

Rehabilitation:Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised personalised program which may include exercise, lifestyle chages and diet is usually recommended.

Specialist to consult

Cardiologist
Specializes in the diagnosis and management heart related disorders.

Coping and Support

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Understandably, treatment for those diagnosed with heart attack can be complex.But this section on heart attack treatments will help you talk with your doctors and healthcare providers. Treatments differ for a STEMI versus NSTEMI heart attack, although there can be some overlap. At a hospital equipped to admi…
See more on heart.org

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