Heart 2 Heart Back

Golden Hour - Saving Life from Heart Attack

A heart attack is an injury to the heart muscle caused by a loss of blood supply. It usually
occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a coronary artery. A heart attack is not a static event. It is a dynamic process that typically evolves over several hours. With each passing minute, more heart tissue is deprived of blood and deteriorates or dies. However, if blood flow can be restored in time, damage to the heart can be limited or prevented AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, especially IN THE FIRST HOUR.

During a heart attack, act immediately. Take these steps: Call for emergency medical help. If you even suspect you are having a heart attack, do not hesitate. Immediately call your local emergency number. If you do not have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital.Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options. Driving yourself puts you and others at risk if your condition suddenly worsens.

Also, reaching a hospital that has Catheterization Laboratory is better as the facility
helps the doctors to visualize the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found.

If not a hospital, at least one should find a doctor who can perform Thrombolysis and save life...let’s understand Thrombolysis better.


Thrombolysis

Thrombolysis, also known as thrombolytic therapy, is a treatment to dissolve dangerous clots in blood vessels, improve blood flow and prevent damage to tissues and organs. A blood clot may happen due to various reasons. But, once a clot is formed form in a blood vessel and if left unattended, it may get bigger and block the whole vessel.

The clot needs to be dissolved to prevent any damage to the blood vessel, tissues and organs. It is possible to dissolve the clot by injecting a special "clot busting” drug into the artery or vein, where the clot has happened.

Not all blood clots are dangerous. Without blood clotting we would die from a minor cut, but clots that form in arteries taking blood and oxygen to vital organs can be dangerous and even fatal. Blood clots also form in veins that drain blood from the tissues back to the heart.

Thrombolysis is also used to treat blood clots in:

•  Veins that cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or clots in the legs, pelvic area, and upper extremities. If left untreated, pieces of the clot can break off and travel to an artery in the lungs, resulting in an acute pulmonary embolism.
•  Thrombolysis can also be used to dissolve blood clots in the veins of the legs when a deep vein thrombosis occurs. This is especially useful when a clot or thrombosis takes place in a larger vein because it will assist with resolution of immediate symptoms but also potentially reduce the risk of long term complications from DVT.
• The most common use for thrombolysis is in patients that have suffered heart attacks
•  Bypass grafts.
•  Dialysis catheters.

If a blood clot is determined to be life-threatening, thrombolysis may be an option if initiated as soon as possible -- ideally within one to two hours -- after the onset of symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism (once a diagnosis has been made).

Pathologic thrombosis can occur in any vessel at any location in the body. There are several conditions that predispose to thrombosis, including the following:

•  Atherosclerosis (plaque rupture)
• Blood flow changes
• F Metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia)
• F Hypercoagulable states
• F Smoking
• F Trauma and burns

Thrombolytic therapy may be more likely to cause serious bleeding in people who have certain medical conditions or have recently had certain procedures. Before being given a thrombolytic agent, anyone with any of these problems or conditions should tell the physician in charge:

• Blood disease or current or past bleeding problems in any part of the body
• Heart or blood vessel disease
• Stroke (recent or in the past)
•  High blood pressure
•  Brain tumor or other brain disease
•  Stomach ulcer or colitis
•  Severe liver disease
•  Active tuberculosis
•  Recent falls, injuries, or blows to the body or head
•  Recent injections into a blood vessel
•  Recent surgery, including dental surgery
• F Tubes recently placed in the body for any reason
•  Recent delivery of a baby

Types of Thrombolysis
The most commonly used clot-busting drugs -- also known as thrombolytic agents -- include:

•  Eminase (anistreplase)
•  Retavase (reteplase)
•  Streptase (streptokinase, kabikinase)
•  t-PA (class of drugs that includes Activase)
• TNKase (tenecteplase)
• Abbokinase, Kinlytic (rokinase)

 

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