patient care report for heart attack

How is a heart attack diagnosed in the emergency room?

Blood tests. Certain heart proteins slowly leak into your blood after heart damage from a heart attack. Emergency room doctors will take samples of your blood to check for these proteins, or enzymes. If you've had or are having a heart attack, doctors will take immediate steps to treat your condition.

How is a heart attack treated in a hospital?

At the hospital, health care professionals can run tests to find out if a heart attack is happening and decide the best treatment. In some cases, a heart attack requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or an electrical shock (defibrillation) to the heart to get the heart pumping again.

When should I see a cardiologist for a heart attack?

A heart attack usually is diagnosed in an emergency setting. However, if you're concerned about your risk of heart attack, see your doctor to check your risk factors and talk about prevention. If your risk is high, you might be referred to a heart specialist (cardiologist).

When to call 9-1-1 for a heart attack?

Heart Attack. If you know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and recognize that you or someone near you is having a heart attack, seek immediate treatment by calling 9-1-1. The longer you wait, the more damage to the heart muscle can occur.

How do you document a heart attack?

Essential documentation for chest pain includes the date and time the pain started. Ask your patient about his pain, and record the responses using his own words, when appropriate. Also include the following: what he was doing when the pain started.

What is the proper care for a heart attack victim?

Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing after you call for emergency medical help. Push hard and fast on the center of the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute.

How do you take care of before a heart attack?

The following steps can help you not only prevent but also recover from a heart attack:Avoid smoke. ... Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. ... Get regular medical checkups. ... Exercise regularly. ... Maintain a healthy weight. ... Eat a heart-healthy diet. ... Manage diabetes. ... Control stress.More items...•

How do you explain a heart attack to a patient?

A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood in one or more of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle, suddenly becomes blocked, and a section of heart muscle can't get enough oxygen. The blockage is usually caused when a plaque ruptures.

What happens after someone has a heart attack?

After a heart attack, it is likely you will stay in hospital for around 3-5 days so your condition can be stabilised and monitored. Some people develop other conditions linked to their heart attack, including: Increased blood sugar levels, which can be treated with insulin.

What is the full form CPR?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitationCardiopulmonary resuscitation / Full nameCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving technique that's useful in many emergencies, such as a heart attack or near drowning, in which someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. The American Heart Association recommends starting CPR with hard and fast chest compressions.

Can we drink water during heart attack?

Eating and drinking during a heart attack is discouraged as far as possible because heart attack sufferers have a high chance of vomiting and hence may choke or aspirate on their vomit. 3.

What are the five main symptoms of a heart attack?

What are the symptoms of heart attack?Chest pain or discomfort. ... Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. ... Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders.Shortness of breath.

What is a normal pulse rate?

The normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. The pulse rate may fluctuate and increase with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions.

What are the complications after a heart attack?

What are the complications of a heart attack? Complications are often related to damage done to the heart during the heart attack that leads to further problems. The most common complications are arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), heart failure, heart rupture, cardiogenic shock, and valve problems.

How to improve heart health after heart attack?

Lifestyle changes —Eating a healthier diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and managing stress—in addition to taking prescribed medicines— can help improve your heart health and quality of life.

How to reduce the chances of heart attack?

Your doctor may want you to limit work , travel, or sexual activity for some time after a heart attack.

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation — Cardiac rehabilitation is an important program for anyone recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, or other heart problem that required surgery or medical care.

What does it feel like to have a heart attack?

The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

About half of all Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. 2. Some risk factors cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control.

Can a heart attack cause shortness of breath?

This often comes along with chest discomfort, but shortness of breath also can happen before chest discomfort. Other symptoms of a heart attack could include unusual or unexplained tiredness and nausea or vomiting. Women are more likely to have these other symptoms. Learn more about women and heart disease.

What to do after a heart attack?

Having a heart attack is scary, and you might wonder how it will affect your life and whether you'll have another one. Fear, anger, guilt and depression are all common after a heart attack. Discussing them with your doctor, a family member or a friend might help.

How to prevent heart attack?

Exercise. Regular exercise helps improve heart muscle function after a heart attack and helps prevent a heart attack. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Maintain a healthy weight.

How does an echocardiogram help?

An echocardiogram can help identify whether an area of your heart has been damaged. Coronary catheterization (angiogram). A liquid dye is injected into the arteries of your heart through a long, thin tube (catheter) that's fed through an artery, usually in your leg or groin, to the arteries in your heart.

How long does it take to recover from a cardiac rehab?

Most hospitals offer programs that might start while you're in the hospital and continue for weeks to a couple of months after you return home. Cardiac rehabilitation programs generally focus on four main areas — medications, lifestyle changes, emotional issues and a gradual return to your normal activities.

How long does it take to recover from a heart attack?

If possible, however, you might have bypass surgery after your heart has had time — about three to seven days — to recover from your heart attack.

What is the best medicine for heart failure?

Beta blockers. These medications help relax your heart muscle, slow your heartbeat and decrease blood pressure, making your heart's job easier. Beta blockers can limit the amount of heart muscle damage and prevent future heart attacks. ACE inhibitors.

What tests are done to check for a heart attack?

If you've had or are having a heart attack, doctors will take immediate steps to treat your condition. You might also have these additional tests. Chest X-ray. An X-ray image of your chest allows your doctor to check the size of your heart and its blood vessels and to look for fluid in your lungs. Echocardiogram.

What does it feel like to have a tight chest?

Chest discomfort or pain. This discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness or squeezing in your chest lasting more than a few minutes. This discomfort may come and go. Upper body pain. Pain or discomfort may spread beyond your chest to your shoulders, arms, back, neck, teeth or jaw.

What does it feel like to have a chest pain?

This often occurs before you develop chest discomfort, or you may not experience any chest discomfort. Anxiety. You may feel a sense of doom or feel as if you're having a panic attack for no apparent reason. Lightheadedness. In addition to feeling chest pressure, you may feel dizzy or feel like you might pass out. Sweating.

What to do if you suspect a heart attack?

One thing applies to everyone, though: If you suspect that you're having a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency medical services number. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital.

Can a heart attack cause pain in the chest?

Some type of pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest is still a common symptom of a heart attack in women. However, many women have heart attack symptoms without chest pain. They may include: Pain in the neck, back, shoulders or jaw. Shortness of breath.

Can heart attacks be dramatic?

Symptoms may not be dramatic. Movies and TV often portray heart attacks as dramatic, chest-clutching events. But heart attacks often begin with subtle symptoms — such as discomfort that may not even be described as pain. It can be tempting to try to downplay your symptoms or brush them off as indigestion or anxiety.

What does it mean when a heart attack is complete?

The blood vessel blockage might be complete or partial: A complete blockage of a coronary artery means you suffered a STEMI heart attack – which stands for ST-elevation myocardial ...

What is a heart attack called?

A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction, sometimes simply referred to as an “MI.” A heart attack occurs when a blockage in one or more coronary arteries reduces or stops blood flow to the heart, which starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen.

What to do if someone has a heart attack?

What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack 1 Call 911 or your local emergency number. Don't ignore the symptoms of a heart attack. If you can't get an ambulance or emergency vehicle to come to you, have a neighbor or a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only if you have no other option. Because your condition can worsen, driving yourself puts you and others at risk. 2 Chew and swallow an aspirin while waiting for emergency help. Aspirin helps keep your blood from clotting. When taken during a heart attack, it could reduce heart damage. Don't take aspirin if you are allergic to it or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin. 3 Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed while waiting for emergency medical help. 4 Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing after you call for emergency medical help.#N#Push hard and fast on the center of the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute. 5 If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is immediately available and the person is unconscious, follow the device instructions for using it.

How long does chest pain last after a heart attack?

Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain. A heart attack generally causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes. Some people have mild chest pain, while others have more-severe pain. The discomfort is commonly described as a pressure or chest heaviness, although some people have no chest pain or pressure at all.

How to do CPR if you are unconscious?

Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing after you call for emergency medical help. Push hard and fast on the center of the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute.

How to treat heart attack with nitroglycerin?

If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed while waiting for emergency medical help. Begin CPR if the person is unconscious . If the person isn 't breathing or you don't find a pulse, begin CPR to keep blood flowing ...

What does it mean when your chest hurts?

Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or occasionally upper abdomen. Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain. Shortness of breath. Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting.

How to help a person with a heart attack?

Reducing stress. Improving your mood. People are more likely to feel depressed after a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation can help prevent or lessen depression. 6. Increasing your energy and strength to make daily activities like carrying groceries and climbing stairs easier.

How many people have a heart attack every year?

Learn more about who needs cardiac rehabilitation and how it can help your recovery. About 800,000 people in the United States have a heart attack every year. About 1 in 4 of those people already had a heart attack. 1 Cardiac rehabilitation not only can help a person recover from a heart problem but can also prevent future heart problems. ...

Why are older people less likely to join a cardiac rehabilitation program?

Older adults. Older adults are also less likely to join a cardiac rehabilitation program following a heart problem. 5 They may think they are unable to do the physical activity because of their age, or they may have other conditions that can make exercising harder, such as arthritis. The need to address other physical conditions makes cardiac ...

Why is cardiac rehabilitation important?

Cardiac rehabilitation can help prevent another, perhaps more serious, heart attack and can help you build heart-healthy habits.

What is the best way to improve cardiac health?

Physical activity. Education about healthy living, including how to eat healthy, take medicine as prescribed, and quit smoking. Counseling to find ways to relieve stress and improve mental health. A team of people may help you through cardiac rehabilitation, including your health care team, exercise and nutrition specialists, physical therapists, ...

How long does a cardiac rehab program last?

Cardiac rehabilitation programs usually last about 3 months but can range anywhere from 2 to 8 months.

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is an important program for anyone recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, or other heart problem that required surgery or medical care. Cardiac rehabilitation is a supervised program that includes: Physical activity. Education about healthy living, including how to eat healthy, take medicine as prescribed, ...

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• Ideally, a health care provider should screen you during regular checkups for risk factors that can lead to a heart attack. A heart attack is often diagnosed in an emergency setting. If you've had or are having a heart attack, care providers will take immediate steps to treat your condition. If you're able to answer questions, you may be asked abou...

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