Orlando Family Magazine

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Health
&WELLNESS
Do you know the warning signs
of a heart attack? In a survey
reported by the CDC, 92% of
respondents recognized chest pain as a
symptom of a heart attack. However, only
27% were aware of all major symptoms –
chest pain or discomfort; upper body pain
or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw,
or upper stomach; shortness of breath,
nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats –
and knew to call 9-1-1.
Chances of survival are greater when
emergency treatment begins quickly
so don’t miss a beat! Dr. Suraj Kurup,
cardiologist at Health Central, explains
what may occur should you arrive at the
emergency department with chest pain.
Immediate Tests
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
records the electrical activity of the heart
through electrodes attached to the skin.
Because injured heart muscle doesn’t
Don’t Miss a
Beat
in Seeking
Treatment
conduct electrical impulses normally, the
EKG may show that a heart attack has
occurred or is in progress.
Blood tests check for increased levels
of certain enzymes normally found in heart
muscle. Damage to cells from a heart attack
may allow enzymes to leak into your blood.
Chest X-ray checks the condition of
lungs and the size/shape of the heart and
major blood vessels.
Computerized tomography (CT
scan) is used to look for blood clots in the
lungs (pulmonary embolism) or an aortic
dissection.
Cardiac diagnostic measures are executed
in a timely manner. For example, according
to Rita Lewis, RN, Clinical Program
Coordinator, patients who are brought
to the Health Central ER with chest pain
will complete an EKG within 10 minutes
and blood work within 60 minutes of
arrival. If the EKG is abnormal, treatment
immediately follows.
Possible Follow-up
Testing
Echocardiogram uses sound waves
to produce a video image of the heart in
motion. A small device may be passed down
the throat to obtain better views of the
heart.
Computerized tomography (CT scan)
can be used to check arteries for signs of
calcium, which indicate areas where plaque
blockages have accumulated. Scans can also
be done with dye to check for blockages and
other problems.
Stress tests measure how the heart and
blood vessels respond to exertion, which
may indicate if chest pain is related to
the heart. You may be asked to walk on a
treadmill or pedal a stationary bike while
hooked up to an EKG. Or, you may be
given a drug intravenously to stimulate your
heart in a way similar to exercise.
Coronary catheterization (angiogram)
helps doctors identify individual arteries to
the heart that may be narrowed or blocked.
A liquid dye (which becomes visible on
X-ray) is injected into the arteries through
a catheter — a thin tube that’s fed through
the wrist or groin to the heart.
Treatment
Certain treatments are usually initiated
right away if a heart attack is suspected, even
before the diagnosis is confirmed, such as
aspirin (to prevent further blood clotting),
nitroglycerin (to reduce heart’s
workload and improve
blood flow), and oxygen
therapy.
Once a
diagnosis of
heart attack is
confirmed, doctors
begin to try to restore
blood flow through the
blood vessels supplying
the heart. The two main
treatments are clot-
busting medicines and
coronary angioplasty, a
nonsurgical procedure
that opens blocked or
narrowed coronary
arteries using a catheter
with a balloon that is inflated to compress
the plaque against the artery wall. During
the procedure, a small mesh tube (stent)
may be placed to keep the vessel open.
Other treatments following a heart
attack may include medicines (ACE
inhibitors, anticlotting medicines,
anticoagulants, beta blockers, statin
medicines); medical procedures (bypass);
heart-healthy lifestyle changes (diet,
exercise, smoking cessation, stress and
weight management, etc.), and cardiac
rehabilitation.
New Medication
Entresto tablets, approved this past
summer by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, have been shown to
reduce the rate of cardiovascular death and
hospitalization related to heart failure. Heart
failure is a common condition, affecting
about 5.1 million people nationwide, in
which the heart can’t pump enough blood
to meet the body’s needs.
“Heart failure is a leading cause of death
and disability in adults,” said Dr. Kurup.
“Heart failure is typically caused by heart
attacks or high blood pressure, which can
damage the heart, and it generally worsens
over time as the heart’s pumping action
grows weaker. Treatment can help people
with heart failure live longer and enjoy more
active lives.”
ORLANDO FAMILY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2016 24