Patient
Information Series
What
is Myocardial Infarction?
Otherwise known as a heart attack, myocardial
infarction is due to sudden blockage of the blood supply to the
heart. This results from a crack in the wall of a diseased,
hardened heart artery (coronary artery) which acts as an irritant
setting up a clot which blocks off oxygen and nutrients to the
heart muscle supplied by the artery. More than 110,000 deaths
occur annually in England from coronary heart disease.
What
are the symptoms?
Severe
sustained central chest
pain which is felt as a tightness is the most common symptom.
The pain may radiate
to one or both arms, the jaw, upper abdomen or back and is constricting
or suffocating in character. There may be associated nausea or
vomiting, distress and anxiety, sweating and breathlessness.
What
is the treatment?
The key to survival is prompt transfer to hospital
by ambulance with a crew trained to recognize the symptoms and
perhaps initiate treatment.
The diagnosis is by clinical assessment, ECG
and blood tests to check for elevated cardiac enzymes.
Treatment involves the use of drugs to control
pain and nausea and administration of clot-bursting drugs (thrombolysis),
which ideally should be given during the first hour. Aspirin is
also beneficial and some patients may require cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and defibrillation. In some instances urgent coronary
artery balloon dilatation (angioplasty) may be performed. Unfortunately
35-40% of patients die within 24hours of onset of symptoms.
What
is the long - term care?
Effective medication after discharge from hospital
include aspirin, b
blockers, ACE-inhibitors and cholesterol lowering drugs (statins).
Cardiac rehabilitation by lifestyle adjustments to diet,
exercises, smoking and alcohol is recommended. Some survivors
require angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft operation(CABG).
What
are the risk factors for Coronary Disease?
Risk factors include age, sex, smoking, hypertension,
diabetes, and high blood cholesterol. Check the Coronary
Disease Risk section for more information and how to calculate
your risk.
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