Here’s what needs to happen:
1. Stabilize the patient for transfer to Prairie Heart Institute-Memorial Hospital of Carbondale
It is important that heart attack patients be treated in the nearest Emergency Room. Emergency staff start the process by rapidly administering IV medication, oxygen and other treatments to help decrease the symptoms. During a heart attack, time is muscle. This important step helps stabilize the patient so he or she can transfer more safely to Prairie Heart Institute-Carbondale.
2. Diagnose the situation--cardiac catheterization
In cardiac catheterization, cardiologists thread a small flexible tube (a catheter) through the blood vessels to the heart. Cardiac catheterization allows doctors to study how well the heart pumps blood and to examine the arteries and valves of the heart. With a cardiac catheterization, doctors can:
- evaluate or confirm coronary artery disease
- after a heart attack, find out how severely the arteries are blocked
- determine the next steps in treatment (balloon angioplasty, stent placement, bypass surgery or medical care).
3. Treatment
Coronary (balloon) angioplasty & Stent
Balloon angioplasty is a procedure that allows doctors to open blocked arteries without surgery and can be done during the cardiac catheterization. Cardiologists use a catheter with a small balloon at the tip. The balloon is inflated at the narrowed area of the artery. This will press the plaque against the artery wall opening the blocked vessel.
A stent is a scaffold-like device used to hold the artery open. If a stent is needed, it also takes place during the catheterization and usually is placed following angioplasty. The stent will remain in the artery permanently.
Heart surgery
Depending on the severity of the blockage, angioplasty or stents may not be an option. Surgical intervention such as bypass surgery may be the only way to open the artery. During this procedure, surgeons use a vein from another part of the body (usually the leg) to “bypass” the blocked artery.
Medical treatment
Sometimes the treatment required is taking medicine. Although medication may not “cure” the problem, it does reduce the symptoms and improve quality of life. There are many medicines available and the cardiologist will recommend which ones are appropriate.