Heart Attack Treatment
In the case of a heart attack, it is vital that the blood flow to your heart is quickly restored. This is usually achieved in one of the following ways:
Fibrinolysis
This heart attack treatment involves the use of special clot-dissolving medications which are administered directly into the blood stream.
Angioplasty and stent implantation
Coronary angioplasty is a heart attack treatment procedure that aims to restore blood flow to the heart by using a special balloon to open a blocked artery from the inside. After angioplasty is performed to open up a blocked coronary artery, a special expandable metal tube ('stent') is usually delivered to the site, expanded, and left in place to keep the artery open.
Bypass surgery
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (often shortened to CABG and pronounced 'cabbage') is an operation in which blood flow is redirected around a narrowed area in one or more of the coronary arteries, allowing blood to flow more freely to the heart muscle.
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs)
After recovering from a heart attack, some people may develop, or be at high risk of developing, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) which could be life-threatening. In some cases, a small device can be implanted in the chest and connected to the heart in order to treat such an arrhythmia if it occurs. This device is called an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD).
