Myocardial Infarction Aftercare
Before we start with the treatment and aftercare of Myocardial infarction, we need to know what it exactly is. Myocardial infarction is actually a heart attack, but it is known so in the medical language. Heart attacks can be life-threatening and in many cases, deathly as well. This serious condition occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is stopped or cut off, which causes the damage of tissues. The arteries are blocked, which causes this problem. The cause of blockage is due to the building up of plaque, which is completely made up of fat, as well as cholesterol and other cellular waste products.
What are the symptoms of Myocardial infarction?
It is best if you know the symptoms of this disease so that if you notice any of these symptoms, you take action immediately. Let us have a look at some of the most common symptoms of a heart attack. These include:
- Tightness and pressure in the chest
- Feeling short of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Coughing
- Dizziness
- Fast heart rate
- Vomiting
- Anxiety and hypertension
- Pain in the jaw, chest, and other areas of the body which keeps on coming and going
You must keep in mind that the people who face heart attacks do come across these symptoms, and then eventually, they get a heart attack. It is best to take notice of these symptoms so that you can consult your doctor before it’s too late.
What are the causes of Myocardial Infarction?
Arteries are the most important vessels of the heart. They are responsible for taking the blood to all parts of the body. If the arteries are blocked, the blood to the heart is stopped, which eventually causes a heart attack. We need to know what really causes the arteries to be blocked.
Bad cholesterol
Bad cholesterol is one of the main reasons for the arteries to be blocked. Cholesterol can be produced naturally in your blood and can form plaque. Plaque is the substance which then blocks the flow of blood in the arteries. These plaques build up with time and eventually cause a heart attack.
Saturated fats
Meat and dairy products such as beef, cheese, and butter, have a lot of saturated fats in them. If you consume these foods regularly and in excess quantity, then they can cause a blockage in the arteries as they increase the bad cholesterol and reduce the good cholesterol in the body.
Trans fat
This is one more type of fat that causes the blockage of the arteries. Processed foods have a lot of fat in them, and they are mainly responsible for blocking the arteries. Be careful not to buy those processed foods, especially those that have hydrogenated oil in them.
Smoking
Smoking greatly increases the chances of a heart attack and is also responsible for causing many other heart diseases.
These are only some of the causes of Myocardial Infarction. Apart from these, there are many other causes of this disease, and for some people, this disease also occurs due to family history.
How is acute Myocardial infarction diagnosed?
In order to check if you have had a heart attack, your doctor will check all the irregularities of your heart and also check the heart rate. A number of other tests will also be conducted in order to determine the root cause of the problem. Some of the tests include tests for checking the stress levels, a test to see how much blockage is there in the arteries and to check which areas of the heart are not working properly.
The treatment and aftercare of Myocardial Infarction
If a person has a heart attack, its treatment should be started immediately. The first thing to do is angioplasty, which unblocks the arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the heart. Apart from this, your doctor would also want to get the CABG test done, which is the coronary artery bypass graft.
Apart from these tests, there are some points that a person should keep in mind after having a heart attack. There is some serious aftercare that includes proper medications that are required after you have had a heart attack. These include:
- Some blood thinners called aspirin, which breaks the blood clots as well as improves the flow of blood through the arteries.
- The use of thrombolytics in order to dissolve the clots
- Nitroglycerin to broaden and widen the blood vessels
- Beta-blockers relax the heart muscles and keep the blood pressure normal. These will prevent the chances of a heart attack.
- ACE inhibitors lower down the blood pressure as well as reduce the level of stress on the heart.
- The use of pain relievers to reduce any kind of uneasiness or discomfort you are feeling.
What to expect after having your treatment done after a heart attack?
It all depends upon the severity of the heart attack you have just had, which will determine how quickly you can recover. People who suffer from heart attacks can experience depression and anxiety.
However, you should start on with normal life activities once you have recovered and feel physically fit. The main thing which you should keep in your mind is that if you have a proper diet which is full of fiber as well as minerals, exercise every day, go for a walk and are active, the chances of a heart attack are pretty minimal.
We already read the causes that provoke a heart attack. If we minimize the causes and avoid eating unhealthy stuff, the chances are pretty minimal that we could ever suffer from Myocardial Infarction. Nevertheless, you should not completely avoid going to the doctor. You should consult your doctor and go for a checkup on a monthly basis so that your doctor can check your heart rate and examine if there are any abnormalities found there. Schedule a monthly visit to some of the best heart specialists at South Florida Cardiovascular Specialists. The most important thing to remember is to include physical activity in your life, which can greatly prevent heart attacks.
