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Today's article will be complete medical terms, but let's try to figure it out. Sometimes, in order to save a person’s life, it is enough to perform very simple manipulations, let’s talk about everything in order.

Heart problems most often occur in older people. Although middle-aged patients and even young people are increasingly complaining of heart failure.

As a rule, if acute heart failure occurs, it is necessary urgent help doctors. But relatives of a patient with heart failure need to know how to properly provide first aid to such a patient before the ambulance arrives. medical care.

Most often, it is competently provided first aid for heart attack saves the patient's life.

Signs of acute heart failure

Marked following forms acute heart failure in humans:

• congestive - in this case, failure occurs either in the left or right ventricle, which causes blood stagnation;
• hypokinetic, which is characterized by the occurrence of cardiogenic shock.

With congestive heart failure of the left or right ventricles, blood circulates worse in the pulmonary or systemic circulation.

Due to poor blood circulation in internal organs may develop various complications. Thus, poor blood circulation in the lungs leads to acute edema in this section respiratory tract. The symptoms of this edema are as follows:

• the appearance of shortness of breath, which gradually increases and can lead to suffocation;
• a person is forced to be in a sitting position, since in a lying position he experiences attacks of shortness of breath due to the fact that ventilation in the lungs is weakened;
• severe cough attacks with the release of foamy sputum;
• moist rales are heard in the lung area when inhaling and exhaling;
• the heart begins to beat faster;
• pronounced cyanosis skin, as well as the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx.

If thromboembolism occurs pulmonary artery, then both cardiac and pulmonary failure occurs simultaneously. In this case, the patient exhibits following symptoms:

• in a person at rest, there is severe shortness of breath;
• There is pronounced cyanosis around the cube;
• the patient complains about severe pain behind the sternum;
• if thromboembolism is accompanied by an infarction of one or both lungs, then the patient begins to cough up hemoptysis.

Symptoms of blood circulation disorders in big circle blood circulation are as follows:

• severe swelling of the veins in the neck;
• pain under the right rib due to high blood pressure in the portal vein, stagnation of blood in the veins and sharp increase in the size of the liver;
• accumulates in the peritoneal cavity large number liquids;
• Sometimes it is possible to develop acute tissue death of the hepatic pyronchema, which is why the patient may develop jaundice of the skin.

The main purpose of first aid to a patient

First aid for heart failure should be provided where the person's attack began.

The main goal of such assistance is to reduce tension on the myocardium. It is also necessary to redistribute the blood flow from the lungs correctly.

The life of that person sometimes depends on how timely first aid was provided to such a patient.

Actions for first aid to a patient at home

First first aid which should be provided to a patient with acute heart failure at home before the arrival of an ambulance is as follows:

How important is it to be the first the right help?

Why is it so important to quickly and correctly perform first aid if a person develops heart failure? Because in this case, minutes may count, and the ambulance doctors may not be able to get there on time. And how well loved ones know how to help a patient depends on his life, and not just his health.

An attack of acute heart failure is one of the diseases in which it is competent first aid that allows the patient to hold out until the ambulance arrives. And the doctors will already administer to the patient the necessary medicines. And if necessary, the patient is hospitalized.

That is why every person should know how to help such patients - after all, this attack can happen to a patient on the street, in a store, in transport, etc.

It was the competent first aid of passers-by that saved more than one human life during an attack of heart failure.

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It is well known that a heart attack, which significantly increases the risk of death, is extremely dangerous for a person. However, not everyone knows what and how to do in case of it. sudden appearance. Therefore, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the main reasons and characteristic symptoms, and also remember those emergency techniques for providing first aid to a patient, which in this situation are guaranteed to help him. It is possible that they will even save his life. We will also analyze risk factors and main preventive measures.

Causes of heart attack

Modern medicine agrees that the key causes of a heart attack are two factors:

1. The appearance of a break in the fabric. This fracture is instantly filled with platelets, resulting in a blood clot. When a blood clot closes the arterial lumen, oxygen ceases to reach the myocardium in the volume necessary for the body.
2. Enlargement of atherosclerotic plaque with parallel gradual narrowing, blocking the lumen of the vessel. As a result of the heart not receiving the volume of oxygen-enriched blood it needs, it muscle tissue necrosis is provoked. It is as a result of these two reasons that acute attack hearts.

Symptoms

The first warning signs of a heart attack appear in a person long before it begins. Many have been recorded clinical cases when these typical symptoms occurred several weeks and even months before the attack itself. They are fixed in the body in the form of:

• shortness of breath during physical activity and in its absence;
• pain in the left, cardiac region of the chest, which resonates in the neck, shoulder blade, jaw;
• , motor dysfunctions;
• decline physical strength even after a long rest;
• swelling of the hands, feet and face;
• excessive sweating;
• chronic insomnia, persistent feelings of anxiety, fear;
• increased heart rate;
• cases of loss of consciousness;
• abnormalities in the functioning of the gastrointestinal organs.

Among the atypical signs of an approaching attack are deviations from the usual state in the form of night snoring, heartburn, inflammation of the gums, symptoms of the flu (from aching joints to fever), etc.

It has also been proven that women and men have distinctive symptoms heart attack. Symptoms in women: nausea, heartburn, fatigue, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness and pain in the upper abdomen, which, as a rule, is almost never recorded in men. Therefore, the precursors of an attack in women often go unnoticed, and the statistics of deaths in them, since 1984, has exceeded the number of deaths in men. We must also remember that in women during attacks, acute pain occurs less frequently than in men, and in those patients whose age exceeds 75 years, ischemic disease can occur without obvious symptoms. However, doctors strongly recommend not to hesitate and call “ ambulance“at the first appearance of at least two of the factors just listed. It is possible that with subsequent careful diagnosis of the body, other diseases may be detected in it.

Signs of a mild heart attack due to angina pectoris

You also need to know how to recognize cardiac disease. In this case, the patient feels:

• burning or pressing pain in the chest area;
• resonating pain in left hand, neck, shoulder, between the shoulder blades or stomach;
• when the pain in the abdomen begins, nausea begins.

Precursors of a heart attack

There are clear classic signs of a heart attack. Direct warning signs of a heart attack are usually considered to be:

• persistent pain in the chest area;
• sudden dizziness for no reason, as well as fainting;
• sharp pallor, copious discharge cold sweat.

Therefore, if there is a periodic feeling of chest discomfort, significant shortness of breath, intolerance stuffy room, general physical weakening, attacks of insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Symptoms of a heart attack

The first signs of a possible heart attack have been well studied. Doctors consider the most common symptom of a heart attack to be pressure, burning pain in the area chest. It can have different intensity and depend on the patient’s individual pain threshold. In addition, such pain often resonates in the left arm, shoulder blade, neck, and jaw. A heart attack is sometimes diagnosed by:

• severe dizziness, although this may be due to bad work hearts;
• by increased sweating (if it appears suddenly, accompanied by severe pallor);
• atypical signs of pain(for example, pain in the stomach or abdomen, with vomiting, nausea);
• by excessive fatigue in the morning, after a long rest, and other indicators.

Algorithm of actions for providing first aid

If a heart attack occurs, the patient should immediately receive first aid for a heart attack. These preventive actions will help you wait for the ambulance doctor, who will provide the patient with professional assistance. The method of providing such assistance is simple and accessible to every adult, so you need to know how to relieve an attack at home.

Traditionally, you need to start with immediate call doctor, clarifying that it was a heart attack, so that a team of cardiologists would arrive. Then place the patient in a horizontal position that is comfortable for him, so that his head rises above the pillow and is tilted to one side, so that in the process possible vomiting he didn't choke. Unbutton him tight clothes. If he does not suffer from a peptic ulcer, give him an Aspirin tablet with Nitroglycerin, or put Nitroglycerin under the tongue (one tablet). As a rule, such help helps almost immediately. How to help yourself is also known: you need to immediately lie down, take Nitroglycerin and call for help, or call (if possible). It is worth noting that the use of Nitroglycerin is contraindicated in case of hypotension. It is also recommended to ventilate the room and measure the patient’s blood pressure. If assistance is provided within the first hour after the onset of pre-infarction pain, the patient will experience the most favorable outcome.

What not to do during a heart attack

The most important thing: a patient with an attack is strictly forbidden to get up, move, smoke, eat or drink until a doctor appears. The prohibitions, naturally, also apply to taking medications that he should not take or does not tolerate well. For example, Aspirin, as already noted, should be clearly excluded from use in the case of a peptic ulcer. In turn, with low blood pressure, severe bleeding, disturbances in the patient’s speech and coordination of his movements, it is prohibited to give Nitroglycerin.

What needs to be done before the doctor arrives

Those who are close to the patient are obliged not only to know exactly what to do in case of a heart attack, but also to prepare for the doctor’s arrival all the necessary information base, namely:

• a list of the medications he previously took (it would be advisable to even collect packages of them);
• a list of medications that the patient cannot tolerate or that cause allergies;
• official documents (extracts, certificates, etc.) about the preliminary treatment of the patient and his state of health, which should preferably be arranged in chronological order.

Further lifestyle

First of all, the patient needs to undergo full course treatment with effective clinical trial, the use of modern medicines. It is important healthy way life, which involves feasible physical activity, since its absence increases the likelihood of cardiac ischemia, since the heart in this case is constantly experiencing a deficiency of oxygen. You should completely stop smoking, which increases blood pressure and, accordingly, the formation of blood clots, as well as drinking alcohol: it provokes vascular spasms, that is, it worsens their patency. The most important factor is proper nutrition, which involves avoiding cholesterol-rich foods, fatty foods, provoking atherosclerosis. The patient should constantly remember medical factors of his condition, namely:

• obesity is a direct path to cardiovascular diseases, as well as diabetes mellitus, which negatively affects the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart;
• Hypertension causes blood vessels to lose their elasticity and causes spasms.

Prevention measures

Based on the requirements of the previous section, the patient is recommended to take all preventive measures necessary in his situation regarding his lifestyle, nutrition, rest, monitoring his health, etc. Competent and constant prevention heart attack with a significant probability guarantees that it can be avoided and make your life as fulfilling as possible. The method of preventing heart attack has been comprehensively developed by domestic and foreign doctors and is feasible for any person.

It is also necessary to note the main risk factors. These include, firstly, a person’s age: the chances of getting sick coronary disease heart rate is significantly higher in elderly patients. According to statistics, people over 65 years of age account for approximately 85% of all deaths. Secondly, before the age of 65 years, men are more at risk of ischemia than women. However, in women, the likelihood of its occurrence increases sharply after the onset of menopause, and their survival rate after an attack is much lower than in men. Plays a significant role hereditary factor. If one of your direct relatives at one time suffered from those diseases that provoke vascular abnormalities (these include hypertension, types of atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus etc.), the risk of an attack increases significantly.

As a conclusion. The analyzed disease does not at all condemn a person to helplessness. A lot depends on how optimistic he perceives it and how he carries out prevention. With such a disease in different forms and with to varying degrees Tens of millions of people live with gravity, so it is a mistake to think that with it death inevitable. We must fight to the end for our health, and then we will be able to overcome any illness!

In the event of a heart attack, proper first aid can save a person's life. Mortality statistics around the world are known for their disappointing results.

A significant percentage of total number falls specifically on diseases that are associated with the cardiovascular system.

Every day, several thousand people die who did not have time to receive timely, correct, high-quality and, in addition, qualified assistance.

A significant percentage of the population suffers from cardiovascular diseases. Those who know this for sure always have at hand necessary medications and know what to do with them.

There is also a category of people who are not at all aware of their heart problems. The pain overtakes them by surprise; they do not know what and how to do and what measures to take. As a result, in many cases everything ends in failure.

Statistics show that a significant percentage of mortality is caused by the fact that people do not immediately turn to specialists, do not pay attention to symptoms, are patient, and do not rush to call an ambulance.

If you have a heart attack, you must act immediately. This will save lives.

Determining the nature of the disease and establishing an accurate diagnosis is not always easy. After all, the symptoms are often similar in several diseases or do not manifest themselves immediately. This can be done effectively by qualified specialists.

But heart diseases still have their own distinctive features.

You should pay attention if you experience the following symptoms:

1) Presence of shortness of breath. It can be not only after heavy or light physical activity, but also in a calm state.

2) Increased sweating. This sign is more typical for people of the stronger sex than for women. But the latter may also have it.

3) High frequency heartbeat. For heart diseases main body The human life support system begins to work intensively. Because more loads are placed on it.

4) Painful sensations in the chest area. Initially, these pains may be slightly noticeable, but soon their strength increases.

In addition, they are accompanied by a burning effect, tingling and a feeling of heaviness, as if something is squeezing the chest. Pain can manifest itself not only in the sternum area, but also in the back, arm, leg, and abdomen.

The peculiarity is that the localization site is always located on the left side of the body.

5) In case of a heart attack a person may lose orientation in space. This is accompanied by dizziness in the head and a significant deterioration in balance.

6) A heart attack may be accompanied by sharp pains in the stomach, nausea, occasional vomiting, heartburn.

7) More like harbingers rather than symptoms are weakness and fatigue. The person becomes lethargic and unable to work.

8) Insomnia, Bad mood, anxiety, snoring during sleep - these are all also harbingers of heart disease. Monitor how yours is performing nervous system. It is directly related to cardiovascular health.

9) Imminent heart problems also promise heaviness in the legs. They become soft and it is difficult for a person to move.

Of course, all the signs cannot suddenly appear in a person at once. You should always take care of your body and body. They warn of problems and give signals.

To one degree or another, at least some, but there are always harbingers of the disease. An attack cannot come out of nowhere.

In case of a heart attack, if such a disaster has happened, you need to act quickly and correctly. It is worth adhering to a certain algorithm that will allow you to provide quality help. Here is a list of primary actions:

1. The victim must be seated or reclined. Remember: you cannot place it horizontally. The vertical position will reduce the load on the heart muscle and relieve pain in the sternum.

2. It is necessary to free the person from excess clothing: remove the tie, unfasten the buttons and belt.

3. Maximize the flow of fresh air - open windows and doors.

4. Ask the patient to breathe deeply but gently.

5. Call an ambulance. If the situation is critical, then medical workers should be called in the first seconds.

6. Give it your all necessary efforts to calm the patient. Nervous condition will only make the situation worse.

7. Give the patient an aspirin tablet. This will reduce the risk of blood clots. The tablet must be chewed. If the patient is unable to do this, then give him the already crushed pill.

8. The victim should also be given a nitroglycerin tablet.. This drug will help eliminate pain and stabbing sensations. If the first dose does not help, you can take it again.

IMPORTANT: medications - aspirin and nitroglycerin - can be given only when you are absolutely sure that the victim is not allergic to them. Also, nitroglycerin should not be given at low blood pressure, because it lowers it even more.

9. After taking the pills, weakness may appear, then you should elevate lower limbs patient so that they are located higher from the level of the head. This will increase and speed up blood flow. You can also give him a little water to drink.

10.Monitor the victim's pulse. If it is poorly felt or the person loses consciousness altogether, then do light massage hearts. In critical cases - artificial respiration.

In addition to providing first aid, you need to know those measures that absolutely cannot be taken during a heart attack.

The patient cannot move - walk, run, or go to the hospital himself.

Be calm until medical professionals arrive. The medical team will provide qualified assistance and take you to the hospital.

Remember that a heart attack can occur in a completely healthy person.

Excessive smoking, alcohol consumption, poor quality lifestyle, regular consumption of fatty foods, nervous breakdowns, excess weight - all these components can cause a heart attack.

People who know about the problems of their body always have aspirin and nitroglycerin on hand. In cases of an attack, they help immediately.

If you do not belong to the category of heart patients, then you should not neglect these rules. They will not be superfluous for you either. After all, anyone can fall into the risk category.

Signs of a heart attack are the appearance of pain in the chest area, which can radiate to the left arm, shoulder blade, hands, left half neck and lower jaw, in both hands, in the shoulders, top part belly. The pain can be pressing, squeezing, burning or intense aching. If the pain is characterized as stabbing, cutting, aching, intensifying when changing body position or breathing, then we cannot talk about staging accurate diagnosis heart attack. Often the pain can be accompanied by weakness, shortness of breath, and severe sweating. The pain is felt for more than 5 minutes.

First aid for a heart attack

1.Accept sitting position, it is best to lie in bed so that the head of the bed is raised, or sit in a chair with armrests;

2. It is necessary to free the neck and give access fresh air. You can open the window or vents;

3.Give the patient aspirin and nitroglycerin. If severe weakness, sweating, shortness of breath or a sharp headache appears after taking nitroglycerin, the patient should be laid down, legs raised (on a pillow, cushion, etc.), given 1 glass of water, and no longer take the medicine. If the pain disappears and the condition improves after taking medications, you must call a doctor and follow his instructions;

4. If the pain persists, then you still need to take nitroglycerin and call an ambulance. If 10 minutes after taking nitroglycerin for the second time, the pain does not subside, then you need to take it a third time.

What not to do if you have a heart attack

1. A person with a heart attack should not get up, walk, smoke, or eat until the doctor’s permission;

2. If you are intolerant to aspirin or you took it that day, then you should not take it. Also, aspirin should be avoided if the problem is clearly aggravated. peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum;

3.If blood pressure blood levels are low if there is severe weakness, sweating, and severe headache, dizziness, acute disorder speech, vision or coordination of movements, then you should not take nitroglycerin.

Waiting for an ambulance

While you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive, provide first aid: make sure that the patient is sitting or lying down. Free the patient from constrictive clothing and do not leave him unattended until doctors arrive.

It is more difficult to provide first aid for a heart attack if the person has lost consciousness. First of all, you need to check your pulse and breathing. To do this, you need to approach the patient’s mouth and nose with your cheek, feel his breathing and at the same time you need to monitor the movements of the chest. Try to feel your pulse carotid artery, which is located just under the jaw on the side of the neck.

If a person’s heart has stopped and you cannot feel his breathing, then you need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR). Carrying out indirect massage body, even without skills, you can save a person’s life. If CPR is not performed, a person’s chances of surviving cardiac arrest decrease by 7-10% every minute. Thanks to timely chest compressions, you can double or even triple the chances of resuming your heart function.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, you need to prepare all the medicine packages or the medicines themselves taken by the patient the day before; scroll medicines, which can cause allergies in the patient or are intolerable to him. If there are films with recordings of electrocardiograms, then you need to arrange them in order, if time allows, according to the dates of their recording. If you found any medical documents(extracts, certificates), it is also advisable to arrange them in chronological order.

Coronary insufficiency is the most common cause death all over the world. In coronary artery disease, fatty plaque forms in the coronary arteries, blocking blood flow, leading to a heart attack. Without sufficient blood and oxygen supply, the heart begins to die quickly. Therefore, it is important that people become more aware of the disease and respond promptly to signs and symptoms of a heart attack. If you suspect you or someone near you is having a heart attack, act quickly as fast response significantly increases the chances of salvation.

Steps

Recognizing Heart Attack Symptoms

If you feel pain in your chest, stop and stop all activities. Listen to the symptoms you are experiencing. Those who have had a heart attack describe the pain as a feeling of discomfort, tightness in the chest, a pressing sensation, a burning sensation, an uneasy pressure and a heaviness in the middle of the chest. This chest pain is called angina, or “angina pectoris.”

Assess whether the chest pain sounds like a sign of a heart attack. There are several reasons that can cause chest pain. The most common ones include indigestion, panic attack, muscle strain, and heart attack.

• If you have eaten heavily or have just been very tense pectoral muscles, the symptoms you are experiencing are most likely not related to a heart attack.
• If you cannot think of a cause other than a heart attack for your symptoms, you should try to get medical help as soon as possible.

1. Look for other symptoms. When a heart attack occurs, most people experience at least one other symptom in addition to chest pain. Most often this is shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, increased sweating, nausea and vomiting.

   • Common symptoms of a heart attack also include a feeling of shortness of breath or a lump in the throat, a burning sensation in the heart area, an upset stomach, and the need to frequently swallow saliva.
   • During a heart attack, a person may sweat and feel chills at the same time. He may break out in a cold sweat.
   • A heart attack victim may feel numbness in one or both arms.
   • Some people experience rapid, irregular or increased heart rate as well as shortness of breath.
   • Look for atypical symptoms. For example, sometimes a person may experience acute or dull ache in the middle of the chest.

2. Pay attention to the symptoms of such diseases. Coronary artery disease, coronary thrombosis and atherosclerotic plaque represent more serious illnesses, rather than coronary insufficiency, and they can also lead to blockage of the arteries leading to the heart. For example, with coronary “thrombosis,” a layer of cholesterol forms on the walls of the arteries, from which small fragments break off from time to time. At the sites of these tears, small blood plaques form on the walls of the arteries, and the body's reaction leads to even greater inflammation.

   • Since thrombosis can develop rather slowly, patients often experience periodic discomfort and pain in the chest, not paying attention to them, or feel them only when increased load on the heart.
   • The patient may not seek medical help until the clot has grown so large that it will obstruct blood flow even at rest, when the load on the heart is negligible.
   • Or worse, the clot could break loose and completely block blood flow, causing a heart attack. This can happen at any time, and many people only realize they are having a heart attack.

3. Consider risk factors. When assessing your symptoms, especially chest pain, you should also consider your risk factors. Currently, so much information has been accumulated about coronary insufficiency that we know exactly in which categories of people it occurs more often. Factors of increased cardiovascular risk include: male gender, smoking, diabetes mellitus, increased blood pressure, obesity (body mass index above 30), age over 55 years, family predisposition to heart disease.

   • How more factors risk is inherent in you, the more likely it is that the symptoms you are experiencing are indeed indicative of coronary insufficiency. Knowing your risk factors will help medical workers properly evaluate your symptoms and determine whether they are caused by coronary artery disease.

First aid for a heart attack

1. Prepare for a heart attack in advance. Know where the hospitals closest to your home and place of work are located. Keep a sheet of paper with a list of emergency medical services and important information in a prominent place in your home so that visitors can see it immediately in case of urgent need.

   Act quickly. Immediate reaction can prevent serious damage your heart and even save your life. The faster you respond to alarming symptoms, indicating a heart attack, the more likely you are to survive.

   Call emergency medical services or ask someone to take you to the hospital. Don't drive yourself. Try to get qualified medical care as quickly as possible. Typically, you should not leave a person affected by an attack alone (you can leave briefly to call an ambulance).

   • Getting help within the first hour of a heart attack greatly increases your chances of recovery.
   • When you call emergency medical services, describe your symptoms to the operator. Be brief and clear.

2. After calling for help, take action if necessary. resuscitation measures . If you witness someone having a heart attack, they may have to perform CPR (chest compressions and possibly artificial respiration). This kind of resuscitation is only necessary if the person has lost consciousness and has no pulse as a result of a heart attack, or if the ambulance operator has instructed you to do it. Perform CPR until arrival emergency care.

   • If you don't know how to perform CPR, the ambulance operator will be able to instruct you.

3. If the person experiencing the attack is conscious, position him comfortably. Sit or lay the victim down with his head raised. If necessary, loosen tight clothing to allow the person to move and breathe freely. Do not allow a person who has chest pain or a heart attack to get up and walk around.

   On your doctor's recommendation, purchase nitroglycerin tablets. If you have family members who have had heart attacks and your doctor has prescribed you nitroglycerin tablets, keep them with you and take the tablet when you feel symptoms of a heart attack. Your doctor will instruct you when you should take nitroglycerin tablets.

   Chew an aspirin while you wait for emergency help to arrive. Aspirin makes platelets less sticky, reducing the risk of platelet formation. blood clots and facilitating blood flow through arteries. If you don't have aspirin on hand, don't use anything else instead. No other over-the-counter pain relievers have this effect.

   • When chewed, aspirin enters the bloodstream faster than when it is normally swallowed. In the event of a heart attack, speed is very important.

Medical care for a heart attack

1. Tell medical professionals about the incident in detail. Your visit to the hospital or clinic will begin with identifying your symptoms and special attention Consideration will be given to the timing and nature of your chest pain and associated symptoms. Your doctor will also carefully review your risk factors.

   Get a full medical examination. Medical staff will connect you to devices that record cardiac activity. Electrocardiography (ECG) will reveal changes in the heart's function caused by insufficient blood supply.

   • They will do it for you necessary tests, including determining the content of “cardiac enzymes” in the blood (these enzymes are released by a damaged heart), the so-called troponin and creatine phosphokinase-MB.
   • Perhaps they will do it for you x-ray chest to determine if the heart is enlarged or if the heart attack has caused fluid to accumulate in the lungs. For greater accuracy, three tests for cardiac enzymes are performed, eight hours apart.

2. Get immediate medical help. If any of the tests performed turns out to be unsatisfactory, you will be immediately prescribed inpatient treatment. If the ECG shows elevation in certain areas, the cardiologist may prescribe an emergency cardiac catheterization (angioplasty, or plastic surgery on the vessels), which will restore blood flow in the heart.

   If necessary, you will undergo surgery. If the left one is blocked coronary artery or several arteries, bypass surgery is usually performed. You will be given a time for surgery, which you will most likely have to wait in the cardiac intensive care unit.

   • In coronary artery bypass surgery, veins taken from your leg are inserted to literally “bypass” the blocked areas of the heart arteries.
   • During the operation, you will be put into a hypothermic state and your heart will be stopped for a period of time while the blood is circulated using an extrapulmonary bypass machine. The cardiothoracic surgeon then sews up the heart. A heartbeat would interfere with the precision work of suturing the transplanted arteries and veins to the heart.
   • Since arteries are better suited for transplantation than veins, your left internal thoracic artery will be carefully cut off from its attachment to the chest wall and carefully sutured to the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, bypassing the blocked area. As a result, you have a grafted arterial section that is generally very strong and not susceptible to re-blocking. The left anterior descending artery is a very important vessel that ensures the functioning of the extremely important left ventricle, which explains this labor-intensive operation.
   • Other blocked coronary areas are carefully bypassed by grafting veins taken from saphenous vein on your leg.

Treatment of coronary insufficiency

1. Get treatment. If you have coronary artery disease, but the blockage is not severe enough to require surgery, they may simply tell you what to do to prevent further attacks. If there is less than 70% blockage, you may also have angioplasty, or surgery to replace damaged sections of the arteries leading to your heart. In any of these cases, follow your doctor's instructions during recovery. When recovering from a heart attack, avoid stress and try to relax more.