Throughout the years “heart attack” has worked its way into multiple everyday phrases or jests:
“You almost gave me a heart attack” if frightened
“It’s going to give me a heart attack” in stressful situations
“Maybe you’re having a heart attack” as a joking reply to a friend’s symptoms
What about when someone experiences a true attack though? How long will the warning signs be overlooked or unnoticed? How long until humour turns to solemnity with a trace of irony?
Two nights ago my mother experienced a myocardial infarction. The irony in the event is almost tangible. I’ve heard her state countless times that my Nana would outlive us all because she was going to cause heart attacks in all of her relatives. If one parent leaves for an evening without the other, they’ll depart with “if you have a heart attack, call an ambulance” as a quip. I’m unsure as to when or how, but somewhere along the way “heart attack” became a fallback figure of speech.
My mother is no stranger to indigestion/heart burn, headaches and arm pain. For a good portion of the day she just wrote her ill feelings off as weather or food related, but the longer her symptoms persisted, the more she began to wonder if something more was in motion. As a hospital worker myself, I am extremely impressed that she (as a retired nurse) followed her instincts (along with my sister’s advice) and made her way into the local emergency department. In my experience, the majority of health care employees tend to disregard signs/symptoms, letting most medical events or illnesses get out of control; Admittedly, I am part of this majority. If I had been the one she asked for advice, I can’t guarantee I would have urged her to go to the hospital when she did. However, let’s not go down that path – all that matters is that she is now in admitted, and in a stable condition. I’ve always known my mom was a strong person, but driving herself into the hospital while experiencing a heart attack brings a new definition to the word “strong”.
Although I am worried about my mother, I have decided to make the best of the situation and use it as a learning opportunity (seeing as I am half a country away from her). There is much more to a heart attack than I originally believed, and what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t share my new found knowledge with you?
To start: Did you know there are (at least) two types of heart attacks? I didn’t. Precursors and complications aside, the two main types are:
- NSTEMI (non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction): produces a normal EKG trace with abnormal blood test results. Typically, these are “smaller” heart attacks resulting from partial or temporary blockages to the heart. Since the blockage is only partial or temporary, less heart damage occurs. <– the type my mother had
- STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction): produces an abnormal EKG trace and abnormal blood test results. These are large scale heart attacks involving complete vessel blockages and/or severe lack of blood to the heart. The prolonged/complete blockage results in more severe cardiac damage and requires immediate intervention to restore vascularization.
When damage occurs to the heart, a protein called troponin is released into the blood stream – this is what blood tests detect during a heart attack.
Of course blood work and diagnostic tests can only be performed if the person in distress decides to visit the hospital. Here are a list of signs/symptoms that may indicate a myocardial infarction is occurring:
- Discomfort, pressure or pain in the chest, arm, and sternum
- Pain/discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat or arm
- Feeling of indigestion or fullness – similar to heartburn
- Nausea, vomiting, dizziness
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath, fatigue
- Tachycardia (rapid heart beat)
Everyone experiences the symptoms of heart attacks differently. In fact, some people are asymptomatic. My mother’s symptoms included sternal pain radiating to the back and under the shoulder blades, feelings of indigestion/heart burn, left arm pain and fatigue.
The first course of action after the initial ER triage process, EKG and blood work includes a multitude of blood thinning/thrombolytic/anticoagulent medications (heparin, aspirin, plavix, etc.). Be prepared to have multiple injections or IVs. To determine the cause of the heart attack the patient will then be sent for diagnostic tests such as an angiogram. The next step includes treatment, whether it be in the form of medication or interventional procedures such as angioplasty or stent placement. At the moment my mom is in the angiogram stage – we’re still waiting for her results to see what happens next.
I feel like that is a long enough lesson for today. Class dismissed.
Image from http://www.lifeinpleasantville.com/
Modern Monologues 