According to WHO figures, myocardial infarction, also known as heart attack, kills over 16 million people a year! Although the survival rate is high, the damage left by this condition can be serious, especially if treatment is delayed. Here’s an update from Dr Muhammad Timol, a specialist in interventional cardiology at C-Care Wellkin.
What exactly is a myocardial infarction? A heart attack generally occurs when one or more coronary arteries become blocked, compromising blood flow: part of the heart muscle, the myocardium, is thus no longer oxygenated,” explains Dr Muhammad Timol. The most common reason for this is the detachment of a cholesterol plaque from the wall of a blood vessel, leading to the formation of a clot that obstructs coronary flow.
Fortunately, heart attacks almost always announce themselves with a bang. “Men and women generally experience the same symptoms: pain, burning or tightness that radiates to the chest, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, palpitations, dizziness and even fainting,” says the specialist. However, elderly or diabetic patients may not present any symptoms at all: this is known as a silent infarction.
While a heart attack can be devastating, the prognosis is less worrying if care is taken quickly – ideally within thirty minutes of the onset of the first symptoms. “Immediately call the ambulance service, and above all, don’t drive yourself or have someone drive you,” he recommends. Once the diagnosis has been made, after an angiogram, it’s off to the operating theatre for balloon angioplasty!
The aim is to eliminate obstructions and restore coronary blood flow by inserting catheters through the radial or femoral artery, dilating the artery and placing stents. While risk factors mainly include diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, family history and smoking, diet and stress also contribute to the disease! Hence the importance of prevention, including the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, and regular cardiac check-ups.
