heart attacks

[cynthiaG]

Do the majority of people who have had heart attacks of any kind end up taking meds for the rest of their lives? Does the heart always become damaged after having one? Are bypasses done strickly because of clogged arteries ?

[Sarah]

heart attacks

Hi,

It is important to know the difference between heart attacks and cardiac arrest.

From Guidant's web site:

Cardiac arrest
A death due to electrical problems in the heart. Cardiac arrest is usually caused by ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is different from a heart attack, which results from heart muscle damage from blood flow blockage, rather than an electrical problem. SCA is also known as sudden cardiac death (SCD).

Heart attack
Death of an area of heart tissue due to a blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). Symptoms may include nausea, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest, arm, or neck. Also called myocardial infarction.

So, yes (by definition) your heart tissue will be damaged during a heart attack. The only question is how much. And yes, bypass is only done for blocked arteries.

(from Guidant, too)
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
An operation performed to circumvent blocked coronary arteries and deliver/redirect blood to areas of the heart receiving insufficient blood flow. More than 350,000 Americans undergo coronary bypass each year. Also referred to as coronary bypass surgery.

http://www.guidant.com/condition/arr...glossary.shtml

take care,

S

[Sarah]

don't know

As for the medication for rest of life question --I would say the majority probably does. Usually a beta-blocker or ace-inhibitor. However, you would probably have to ask the AHA if they have stats on that.

Also, the Guidant def of Cardiac arrest says "vtach OR vfib" but it is my understanding that vtach won't kill you (unless it turns into vfib) or if it lasts a long time (which it usually doesn't).

Hey, is there a doctor in the house?
S

[Lisa Salberg]

Heart Attach - is highly variable - it depends on many issues mostly where the heart is damaged and how large of an area.
Bi-Pass may be in order ..in other cases drug therapy may be in order.
This is one for each individual doctors to help them detirmine.
Lisa