A heart attack occurs because of a blocked coronary artery. This blockage reduces the flow of blood to the heart, and in turn, deprives a section of the heart muscle of oxygen. Heartburn, tightness in the chest, cold sweat, dizziness, and nausea are some common symptoms of an attack.

Treatments could be complex for individuals who experience a heart attack. The treatments would vary depending on the type of heart attack a person faces.

Based on the blockage, the types of heart attacks are:

• Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction or a non-ST-elevation implies a partial block in the coronary artery.
• A total block in the coronary artery is known as ST-elevation myocardial infarction or a “STEMI” heart attack.

Sometimes, patients may need to undergo treatment after a heart attack to prevent further complications.

Treatment options
Blood flow restoration techniques involve thrombolysis where medicines that dissolve blockages or clots are used. Some other treatment options are fibrinolytic agents, surgical treatments, balloon angioplasty, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), revascularization, or a blend of these treatments.

For patients who have suffered from an NSTEMI type of attack, doctors recommend treatment after diagnosing the patient’s condition through a cardiac catheterization test. In this test, they examine the interiors of the heart.

The treatment procedures for patients who’ve had NSTEMI are:

• Ischemia-guided therapy employs different medications like anticoagulants as well as antiplatelet agents to curb the formation of blood clots.
• Under Ischemia-guided therapy, medicines are used along with medical therapy, CABG or PCI with stenting. All of this is followed by post-hospitalization care.

Other treatments that patients may need to undergo after a heart attack

Angioplasty: It is a procedure wherein a special tube connected to a deflated balloon is threaded to the coronary arteries. Another form of the procedure is laser angioplasty, wherein a catheter equipped with a laser tip is employed to clear up the clogged artery.

Heart valve replacement: In this procedure, a patient’s heart valve is substituted with an artificial heart valve.

Atherectomy:  A catheter’s tip is equipped with a rotating shaver to shave away the plaque clogging the artery. It is identical to angioplasty.

Bypass surgery: This treatment cures blockages in the artery by making new paths to restore the supply of blood to the heart.

Heart transplant: In this procedure, a patient’s heart is replaced by a healthy donated heart.

Minimal invasive heart surgery: It is a substitution for bypass surgery.

Stent procedure: A stent opens up the blocked artery during angioplasty. A stent is a tube made in the form of a wire mesh.

Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR):  Tiny holes are drilled from the exterior of the heart to the heart’s chamber that pumps blood.

Medications that patients may need to take after a heart attack
After a person suffers from a heart attack, they may need to take medications to thin their blood, prevent blood clots, and clear or minimize blockages.

• Anticoagulants
• Antiplatelet agents
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers
• Angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors
• Beta-blockers
• Thrombolytics
• Statins
• Combined alpha and beta blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Cholesterol-lowering medications
• Diuretics
• Vasodilators

Other than this, the patients may need to undergo dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to prevent blood clots. This treatment involves the use of two types of antiplatelet agents, aspirin, and a P2Y12 inhibitor.

A cardiologist can assess the patient’s condition and recommend the right course of treatment.