Each year in the United States, more than 800,000 people have a heart attack. Knowing what to do when this emergency happens can be lifesaving.
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is cut off or restricted. This blood flow restriction causes damage to the heart muscle, and the longer the heart goes without blood and oxygen, the greater the damage.
Quick treatment for a heart attack can limit the damage, which is why it’s crucial to call 911 when experiencing symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath. Emergency treatment for a heart attack can begin during transport to the hospital.
Once you arrive at the hospital, providers with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare will perform advanced diagnostic tests to confirm a heart attack and provide prompt treatment to limit damage.
Take a Heart Health Risk Assessment to learn if you should see a Methodist Le Bonheur cardiologist.
When your heart’s at stake during a heart attack, you want a team of providers with expertise in effectively and quickly restoring blood flow to the heart. That’s what you’ll find at Methodist Le Bonheur.
All five of Methodist Le Bonheur’s adult hospitals are accredited by the American College of Cardiology as Chest Pain Centers. This designation means that we have processes in place to promptly assess and diagnose patients experiencing heart attack symptoms and provide them with the advanced care they need to limit damage to the heart.
Methodist Le Bonheur is committed to offering patients the advanced care they need to treat a heart attack and prevent further damage. Our expert cardiologists and interventional cardiologists are here for you.
There are two primary types of heart attacks, named based on how they appear on an electrocardiogram (EKG):
All heart attacks are what’s known as “acute coronary syndrome,” occurring when blood flow to the heart is temporarily diminished or blocked. This differs from cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart stops due to an irregular heart rhythm.
While chest pain or discomfort are common symptoms, other warning signs of a heart attack may include:
Many people have pain in the center or left side of the chest, but it may feel like pressure, squeezing or fullness.
Women may experience symptoms of a heart attack differently — for one, pain may be felt on the right side of the chest. Women having a heart attack are also more likely to experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, fatigue and upper back pain. These symptoms may be mistaken for symptoms of a less serious medical condition like the flu or heartburn.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of a heart attack. CAD affects more than 20 million people in the United States, making it the most common type of heart disease.
Coronary artery disease develops due to atherosclerosis, caused by plaque buildup in blood vessels. Over time, this plaque buildup causes the arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow. In some cases, plaque can break apart and form a blood clot, cutting off blood flow to the heart and increasing the risk of a heart attack.
Other causes of heart attack may include:
Certain factors increase your heart attack risk, including:
Women also have unique risk factors for heart attack, including a history of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Preventing a heart attack starts with learning your risk factors and taking steps to mitigate those risks. You can lower your risk by:
If you have chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work with a medical provider to effectively manage them through medications and other treatment options.
If you’re experiencing symptoms that may be related to a heart attack, doctors can use diagnostic testing to confirm a diagnosis quickly. Testing may include:
By reviewing an EKG, a cardiologist can also confirm whether you’re experiencing a STEMI or NSTEMI heart attack based on whether the ST segment is elevated.
Watch and learn more about the Early Heart Attack Care Course.
CPR is a lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. If performed immediately on someone experiencing cardiac arrest, it can double or even triple the chance of survival. Hands-Only CPR is essentially CPR without rescue breaths. It can be performed by anyone in two simple steps:
Learn more about performing the simple, potentially lifesaving task of Hands-Only CPR.
If you’re having a heart attack, your treatment plan will vary depending on the specific type of heart attack and its severity. Treatment may include:
In some cases, minimally invasive procedures may be used as an alternative to open-heart surgery, offering patients a quicker recovery and other benefits.
Your team of providers at Methodist Le Bonheur will consider several factors to create a treatment plan for you, including your overall health and your risk of future cardiovascular events. In cases of severe heart damage, we also offer advanced procedures such as a heart transplant.
