What is a heart attack?

People having a heart attack often notice:

●Pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest

●Pain, tingling, or discomfort in other parts of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach

●Shortness of breath

●Nausea, vomiting, burping, or heartburn

●Sweating or cold, clammy skin

●A racing or uneven heartbeat

●Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

If you think you might be having a heart attack, call 1-1-9 right away. Do not try to get to the hospital on your own.

Is there a test for heart attacks?

Yes. If your doctor thinks you are having a heart attack, he or she might order one or more of these tests:

●An electrocardiogram (ECG) – This test measures the electrical activity in your heart.

●Blood tests – During a heart attack, the heart releases certain chemicals. If these chemicals are in your blood, it might mean you are having a heart attack.

●Echocardiogram – This test uses sound waves to create an image of your heart as it beats. In a heart attack, not all parts or the heart pump normally.

●Cardiac catheterization (also called "cardiac cath") – During this test, the doctor puts a thin tube into a blood vessel in your leg or arm. Then he or she moves the tube up to your heart. Next, the doctor puts a dye that shows up on X-ray into the tube. This part of the test is called "coronary angiography." It can show whether any of the arteries in your heart are clogged.

How is a heart attack treated?

If you go to the hospital while you are having a heart attack, the doctors and nurses will do a few things:

●They might give you oxygen through a mask or a tube in your nose.

●They will give you pain medicines to ease the chest pain and discomfort of a heart attack. They might also give you something to help you relax.

●They will give you medicines to help keep more blood clots from forming.

●They might give you a medicine called a beta blocker to reduce your heart's need for oxygen. This medicine can help reduce the damage caused by a heart attack.

●They will try to get blood flowing again through the clogged artery. Doctors can do this in 1 of 2 ways:

•They can give you medicines through a thin tube that goes into a vein, called an "IV," to break up clots. These have been called "clot busters."

•They can do a procedure called "stenting" combination with cardiac catheterization. This involves putting a tiny metal tube called a "stent" into the blocked artery to hold it open.

●If you cannot get a stent, or if the stent does not work, your doctor might suggest open heart surgery. This is also called "coronary artery bypass grafting" or "bypass surgery". During this surgery, doctors create a new path – a detour – for blood to get around the clogged portion of the artery. They do this using a combination of your own arteries and veins.

Reference：This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Mar 12, 2020.