Treating And Recovering From A Heart Attack

A heart attack, otherwise called a myocardial infarction, happens if blood cannot reach the heart. Heart attacks are medical emergencies that require immediate care. Symptoms include tightness in the chest, an abnormal heart rhythm, lightheadedness, and pain in the jaw, neck, back, and arm. Some individuals having a heart attack may only have symptoms such as fatigue and sudden heartburn, which may be mistakenly attributed to other less serious conditions, though this is more common in females than in males. The risk of a heart attack increases with age, and the average age for a first heart attack is sixty-six for men and seventy for women. Obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, and hypertension are additional risk factors for heart attacks. The following methods can help to treat heart attacks and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass surgery, which is among the most commonly performed operations in the United States, reroutes blood around a damaged or blocked area of heart muscle. It is recommended for individuals who have heart disease and also for those who have had heart attacks. The procedure takes three to six hours to complete and is done with the patient under general anesthesia so they are asleep throughout the surgery. Before having bypass surgery, patients will undergo a series of tests to check the procedure is appropriate for them and they are healthy enough to have the operation. Doctors will thoroughly examine the patient's heart rate, rhythm, and breathing, and tests such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, exercise stress tests, and coronary angiograms may be completed to give surgeons complete information about the location and extent of existing blockages.

Following the coronary artery bypass surgery, patients usually stay in an intensive care unit for two to three days, and many can leave the hospital after four or five days. Most patients typically need at least four to six weeks of recovery time at home before they can return to work.

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