As far as possible to reduce the factors that cause coronary artery disease, especially those that can be changed by the patient:
- Quit smoking.
- Lose weight.
- Controlling blood pressure.
- Lowering blood cholesterol levels by diet or with medication.
- Doing regular exercise.
A heart attack is an emergency. Half the deaths from heart attack occur within the first 3-4 hours after the occurrence of symptoms. The sooner help is given, the more likely the patient can be helped.
A person suspected of having a heart attack is usually treated in the cardiac care unit, and to assess the damage the heart, performed close monitoring of cardiac rhythm, blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in his blood.
* Early treatment
Usually immediately given aspirin tablets to be chewed. Giving these drugs will reduce the formation of blood clots in coronary arteries.
Beta-blockers are given to slow the heart rate and so the heart does not work too hard to pump blood throughout the body. Oxygen is often administered through a facemask or a small tube that is inserted into the nostrils. With the delivery of oxygen, the oxygen in the blood pressure will increase so that more oxygen to the heart and heart damage can be minimized.
If a blockage in a coronary artery can be quickly resolved, then the heart tissue can be saved. Blood clots in the arteries often can be dissolved with thrombolytic therapy, namely by giving streptokinase, tissue plasminogen activator urikinase and. To be effective, the drug is administered intravenously within 6 hours after the symptoms of a heart attack, because if it is more than 6 hours, some damage will be permanent in nature.
Early treatment increases blood flow in 60-80% of patients and can minimize damage to heart tissue. Aspirin (to prevent blood clot formation of platelets) or heparin (stopping bleeding) can increase the effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy.
Thrombolytic therapy can cause bleeding, so it is usually not given to patients who:
- Gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Have severe high blood pressure.
- Just suffered a stroke.
- Or recently had surgery.
- Have severe high blood pressure.
- Just suffered a stroke.
- Or recently had surgery.
Elderly Patients who do not have the above circumstances, can safely undergo thrombolytic therapy.
Some hospitals using angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery soon after a heart attack. Nitroglycerin can overcome the pain by reducing the workload of the heart, and is usually given intravenously initially.
If a drug used to increase coronary artery blood flow is also not succeeded in reducing the symptoms of heart attack, usually given an injection of morphine. Morphine is also a sedative and reduces the heart's workload.
* Treatment of Advanced
Someone who had suffered a heart attack, should undergo bed rest in a quiet room for several days because of excitement, physical activity and emotional stress can aggravate heart work. Stool softeners and laxatives can be used to prevent constipation.
Anxiety and depression often occur after a heart attack. Severe anxiety can overload the heart, so that given a sedative. ACE-inhibitors are routinely administered to reduce heart enlargement, which often occur after a heart attack.
Cardiac rehabilitation is an important part in the healing process. Staying in bed more than 2-3 days will cause the cessation of physical activity and sometimes lead to depression and a sense of dependency.
On the third or fourth day after the occurrence of heart attack, patients are gradually trained to sit, doing passive activities, walking to the bathroom and doing activities that do not cause stress (eg reading). After 3-6 weeks, the patient must gradually increase its activity. If there is no shortness of breath and chest pain, normal activity can be re-done after about 6 weeks.
