Necessity of Angioplasty

[sukumar794]

  I have had a heart attack on 10th october 2007. I sought immediate medical attention(within half an hour). I was put to thrombolytic therapy and was put in the cardiac care unit for some days and discharged. At home I was advised total rest for several weeks. The weekly check-ups indicate that I am returning to normal activity. I would like to know in this regard whether medications alone would be enough to cure my ailment .I am not sure whether I will be put to angiogram and angioplasty.later. Will there be any need for angioplasty in my case.? I will be grateful beyond measure for your kind reply.

[Jack54]

As I said eariler, how many diseased or blocked vessels do you have? When will you have your next heart attack from another increasing dangerous blockage? A stent could save your life by preventing a fatal heart attack. You MUST have an angiogram to determine if you have any more blockages.

[sukumar794]

  thanks very much for your reflections.  In my case I was diagnosed as having had CAD- Acute exterior AWMI lysed with SK. Not good reperfussion. LV dysfunction-early LVF. Recurrent primary VT reverted with DC shock. Course in the hospital --- since there was no contra indication I was thrombolysed with Streptokinase,Dobutamin and Dopamin support given also treated with Antiplatelets,Statins.    I am being reviewed by cardiologist  on a weekly basis. However I am still unsure whether I would need angiogram and angioplasty. Please advise.

[Jack54]

I take that you must be from India? Was the heart attack confirmed by the cardiac enzyme levels troponin and/or creatine phosphokinase (CPK, CK) in your blood?

In The US you would automatically have a cardiac catheterization to perform an angiogram, if these enzymes were elevated enough, and your symptoms were those of a heart attack. You obviously have coronary artery disease, or CAD, else you would not have had a heart attack.

How many diseased or blocked vessels do you have? When will you have your next heart attack from another increasing dangerous blockage? A stent could save your life by preventing a fatal heart attack. You must have an angiogram to determine if you have any more blockages.

Good Luck,

Jack

Also if you would have received an angiogram immediately upon entering the hospital, a stent could have saved  permanent heart muscle damage.