Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

It is the condition where that region of the heart begins to necrotize (die) within minutes because the coronary arteries that carry clean blood and oxygen to the heart muscle are suddenly blocked, preventing nourishment.

Over the years, fatty deposits (plaques) form on the walls of the heart vessels due to high cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking. The attack occurs when this plaque suddenly cracks/ruptures, and the body immediately sends a clot to repair it, thereby blocking the vessel 100% within seconds.

A crushing, squeezing, burning pressure/pain right in the middle of the rib cage (behind the sternum) as if an elephant is sitting on it. This pain usually radiates to the left arm, shoulder, back, neck, or lower jaw. It is accompanied by cold sweats, fear of death, shortness of breath, and nausea.

Women often may not feel the classic chest pain. In women, a heart attack can be insidious; it can manifest itself as extreme/unexplained fatigue, heartburn (mistaken for reflux), back pain, or a sudden shortness of breath.

An ECG (Electrocardiography) taken within seconds in the emergency room instantly shows the attack and the location of the blocked vessel (Especially STEMI type attacks). The elevated level of the 'Troponin' enzyme, which mixes into the blood as the heart muscle dies, in the blood test confirms the diagnosis 100%.

Chewing an Aspirin at home at the time of the attack slows clot growth. As soon as the patient reaches the hospital (the first 90 minutes are very critical), an Emergency Coronary Angiography is performed by Cardiologists. The blocked vessel is found by entering from the groin or wrist, a Balloon is inflated inside to open the vessel, and a steel cage (Stent) is placed there so it does not close again. If the blockage is too widespread to be opened with a stent, Emergency By-Pass surgery (Open heart) is initiated.