Coronary Artery SpasmĪ coronary artery spasm is when the artery wall tightens and blood flow through the artery is restricted – potentially leading to chest pain, or blood flow is cut off all together – causing a heart attack. Treatment for an NSTEMI heart attack consists of medication and evaluation for whether a blockage is present that should be treated with medication only, cleared through angioplasty or treated with cardiac bypass graft surgery. In NSTEMI heart attacks, it is likely that any coronary artery blockages are partial or temporary. However, these patients will test positively for a protein called troponin in their blood that is released from the heart muscle when it is damaged. NSTEMI Heart AttacksĪ non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is a type of heart attack that does not show a change in the ST segment elevation on an electrocardiogram and that results in less damage to the patient’s heart. A stent– a metal, mesh tube – is often inserted at the same time to permanently prop the cleared artery open to allow blood to flow through. Very thin wires ( guidewires) are then advanced beyond the blockage and the clot is sucked out and/or a small balloon is opened to push the blockage out of the way. These catheters are positioned at the beginning of the coronary arteries (the arteries of the heart), and contrast dye is injected through them to enable the interventional cardiologist to gather images of any blockage in the coronary arteries.
This revascularization is achieved either with drugs in the form of thrombolytics (clot busters), which are given intravenously, or mechanically with angioplasty – a treatment using thin, flexible tubes called catheters to open the closed artery. This type of heart attack requires immediate, emergency revascularization which restores blood flow through the artery. “ST segment elevation” refers to a pattern that shows up on an electrocardiogram (EKG). STEMI Heart AttacksĪn ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a serious form of heart attack in which a coronary artery is completely blocked and a large part of the heart muscle is unable to receive blood. Every minute you delay if it is a heart attack could result in permanent heart muscle damage or increased risk of death. Just because heartburn, for example, can produce some of the same symptoms doesn’t mean you should assume it is the less serious cause rather than the more serious condition. Remember, if you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, dial 911. Several types of heart attacks are discussed below, as well as non-heart-related sources of chest pain. Treatment of a heart attack will depend on the type and severity of the heart attack.
Your cardiologist will assess this damage through use of echocardiography, which is an ultrasound of the heart. Ultimately, the seriousness of the heart attack is judged by the amount of heart muscle that is permanently damaged. If you’ve had a heart attack, you know firsthand that Hollywood misses a lot of the details, including the hard physical and emotional work it takes to recover afterward.
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