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Click
here for Multimedia Lecture on Heart Attack!
What is a heart attack?
How common
is a heart attack?
What are
the symptoms of a heart attack?
What should
be done if a heart attack is suspected?
What happens
when a heart attack patient arrives in the ER?
How does "clot
buster" treatment compare with angioplasty?
Why is primary
angioplasty and stent not used in every case?
What happens
after the patient is admitted to the hospital?
What happens after the first day?
What
are the complications of a heart attack?
What medications will be
prescribed after discharge?
What happens
in the hospital after the first 24 hours of a heart
attack? Depending upon how well the patient
is doing, transfer to a "telemetry" floor
is usually arranged on the second day. Unstable
patients may remain in the CCU for one or more additional
days.
If the patient is recovering nicely, he or she is
ambulated in the hallway and may be seen by the
cardiac rehabilitation team. The patient and spouse
or family are provided with information that helps
them understand what happened during the heart attack
and what preventive measures are needed to avoid
a second one. Instructions about dietary restrictions
and an exercise regimen are also given. Depending
upon the severity of the heart attack and promptness
with which treatment was received, many patients
are discharged in 2 to 4 days. Smokers are encouraged
to quit tobacco use and supportive measures are
recommended.
What
medications are prescribed after a heart attack?
Many of the patient's home medicines (for example
those used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes,
etc) are continued. Traditionally, the majority
of patients also receive daily aspirin and nitroglycerine
for "PRN" or as needed use. If there are
no contraindications, most patients are also discharged
on a "beta-blocker" medicine. This helps
reduce the risk of a second heart attack and sudden
death. However, a beta-blocker may not be used in
patients with very slow heart beat, asthma and heart
failure. Instead, patients with heart failure or
reduced heart function may be sent home on a medicine
known as an "ACE inhibitor" that helps
reduce the workload of the heart. Patients with
a high cholesterol level may be sent home on a medication
to help control this problem.
Upon discharge, the patient will be given a follow-up
appointment with the physician.
