TREATING HEART ATTACK
by Jinky C. Mesias

There are various ways of treating heart attack however, the primary goal of these treatments is to quickly open the blocked artery and then restore the blood flow in the heart muscle in a process called reperfusion. And then, once the artery is open the damage in the heart muscle ceases and with it ceases the pain that an individual feels. Aside from that, early reperfusion helps in minimizing the extent of heart muscle damage by preserving the pumping function of the heart. Maximum benefit may be derived from reperfusion if it can be applied within the first 4 to 6 hours of the heart attack. Moreover, delay in administering reperfusion may result to a severe damage to the heart muscle as well as a reduction in the ability of the heart to pump blood all throughout the body. Not only that, patients who have been found out to have hearts that are unable to pump sufficient blood tend to develop heart failure, a decreased in the ability to exercise and often times experience abnormal heart rhythms. The amount of remaining healthy heart muscle after a heart attack becomes a vital factor in determining the future quality of life as well as the longevity of an individual.

There are many ways of treating a heart attack and these are as follows: anti-platelet medications, anti-coagulant medications, coronary angiography, clot-dissolving medications, supplemental oxygen, medications to decrease the need for oxygen as well as the medications to prevent abnormal heart rhythms. The anti-platelet agents are medications that are administered to prevent blood clots from forming in the arteries of the heart by inhibiting the aggregation of platelets. However, the formation of blood clots in areas wherein there is laceration or injury is favorable since it will prevent excessive blood loss. There are three types of anti-platelet agents and these are the aspirin, thienopyridines and the glycoprotein llb/lla inhibitors.

The aspirin is the one that inhibits the activity of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase inside platelets. Moreover, aspirin was found out to improve the survival among patients with heart attack. And aside from that, aspirin is also easy to use, and since it is low dosage it is safe to used for anti-platelet action. Aspirin are also fast acting and relief can be obtained within 30 minutes and it is also affordable. On the other hand, the thienopyridines such as ticlopidine and the clopidogrel inhibit the ADP receptor on the surface of the platelets. This action of the thienopyridines of inhibiting the ADP receptors on the platelets prevents the platelets from aggregating and causing blood clots to form. The third anti-platelet agent is the glycoprotein llb/lla inhibitors which are considered to be the most potent anti-platelet agent, approximately nine times more potent than aspirin and three times more potent that the thienopyridines. Moreover, it is also the most expensive anti-platelet agent.

About the Author

Author’s Bio: Jinky C. Mesias is a lover of simple things and of nature. She spend most of her time reading and writing poetry.

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