Also known as a heart attack, it occurs when the normal flow of blood becomes blocked. This can develop because of a number of causes such as the accumulation of fat, cholesterol or other substances in the arteries. Hence, when the blood flow becomes interrupted suddenly, it can damage a part of the heart muscle unless the blockage can be removed quickly. If the main coronary artery becomes blocked, it can affect a large section of the heart muscle. When the smaller branch of the artery becomes blocked, a smaller section of the heart muscle becomes affected. After the heart attack, the affected part of the heart muscle is replaced by scar tissue.
Causes
One of the common causes of a heart attack is the blood clot which can block the normal flow of blood to a section of the heart. Blood clots can form when there is fatty patches or plaques that develop on the inside lining of the arteries over several years. Blood clots can thus block the artery and as the result, the heart does not receive enough oxygen causing the heart cells to die. Some of the factors contributing to this include high blood pressure, diabetes and elevated LDL cholesterol. Other causes of myocardial infarction include inflammation of the coronary arteries, a blood clot that develops elsewhere in the body, complications from heart surgery or as the result of other rare heart problems.
Symptoms
A heart attack can occur suddenly although most of the people can have warning signs for days or weeks in advance. The initial warning sign is the recurrent chest pain with exertion which becomes better with rest. Some of the common heart attack signs include pressure or tightness of the chest that may spread to the neck, jaw or the back, shortness of breath, sudden dizziness, irregular heartbeat, cold sweat, fatigue, nausea, heartburn or abdominal pain.
Diagnosis
Myocardial infarction is a medical emergency that requires immediate diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis is based on the symptoms and a physical examination. Some of the tests done to determine the function of the heart include electrocardiogram which is the initial test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. Blood tests may also be done to determine the presence of various enzymes that are released into the blood during a heart attack. Additional tests may include chest x-ray, echocardiogram, coronary catheterization or angiogram and stress test.
Treatment
The goal of the treatment is to prevent further heart damage and to restore the normal flow of blood. Aspirin may be given to reduce blood clotting and nitroglycerin can improve the blood flow to the heart. Other medications used for the heart attack includes blood thinning medications, pain relievers, beta blockers and antiplatelet agents. Some of the surgical procedures used include coronary angioplasty and stenting that inserts a catheter through an artery to locate the blockage and to open the blocked coronary artery. A coronary artery bypass surgery may be performed in some cases which involve creating a new path for the blood to flow to the heart.
References
http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/myocardial-infarction
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/basics/treatment/con-20019520
