Heart Attack And Stroke

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery, causing the heart tissue to be starved of oxygen and damaged.

A stroke happens when blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, either by a clot blocking an artery (ischemic stroke) or by a blood vessel bursting and bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). In both cases, the lack of oxygen quickly injures vital tissue, making them life-threatening emergencies that require immediate medical care.

❤️ Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

Types of Heart Attacks

STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction)

The most severe type.
Caused by a complete blockage of a coronary artery.
Shows as ST-segment elevation on an ECG.
Requires emergency treatment (angioplasty or thrombolysis).

NSTEMI (Non–ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction)

Caused by partial blockage of a coronary artery.
No ST elevation on ECG, but cardiac enzymes (like troponin) are elevated.
Less severe than STEMI, but still dangerous.

Silent Heart Attack

Occurs without typical chest pain symptoms.
Symptoms may be mild (fatigue, shortness of breath, indigestion-like feeling).
Often discovered later during tests.

Coronary Artery Spasm (Prinzmetal’s Angina)

Temporary narrowing of the coronary arteries due to spasm.
Can cause chest pain and sometimes heart attack.
Often occurs at rest or during the night.

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) – Treatment

Immediate goal: Restore blood flow to the heart muscle.
Emergency care may include:
- Aspirin to reduce blood clotting.
- Clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) if given early.
- Angioplasty and stent placement to open blocked arteries.
- Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in severe cases.
Long-term management: Medications (beta-blockers, statins, ACE inhibitors, antiplatelet drugs) + lifestyle changes (healthy diet, exercise, no smoking).

Treatment:

Immediate goal: Restore blood flow to the heart muscle.
Emergency care may include:
- Aspirin to reduce blood clotting.
- Clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) if given early.
- Angioplasty and stent placement to open blocked arteries.
- Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in severe cases.
Long-term management: Medications (beta-blockers, statins, ACE inhibitors, antiplatelet drugs) + lifestyle changes (healthy diet, exercise, no smoking).

🧠 Stroke

Types of Stroke

Ischemic Stroke (≈ 85% of cases)

Caused by a blood clot blocking a brain artery.
Thrombotic Stroke: clot forms in a brain artery itself (often due to atherosclerosis).
Embolic Stroke: clot forms elsewhere (like in the heart) and travels to the brain.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Caused by a ruptured blood vessel leading to bleeding in or around the brain.
Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH): bleeding directly into brain tissue.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH): bleeding into the space around the brain, often from an aneurysm rupture.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA, or “Mini-Stroke”)

A temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain.
Symptoms last minutes to hours, with no permanent damage.
Warning sign for future stroke.

Treatment :

Immediate goal: Restore blood flow to the brain or stop bleeding, depending on type.
Ischemic stroke (clot-related):
- Clot-dissolving drug (tPA) if given within a few hours.
- Mechanical thrombectomy (removing the clot with a device).
Hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding):
- Control bleeding and reduce brain pressure (medications, surgery, or repair of blood vessels).
Rehabilitation: Physical, occupational, and speech therapy to recover lost functions.
Prevention of recurrence: Medications (antiplatelets, anticoagulants, statins, blood pressure drugs) + lifestyle modifications.