Heart attack

Heart attack | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Heart and blood vessels Conditions Heart attack Heart attack Phone 999 immediately if: You or someone else has symptoms like: central chest pain or discomfort in the chest that doesnt go away  it may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing pain that radiates down the left arm, or both arms, or to the neck, jaw, back or stomach unconsciousness seizures or fitting difficulty breathing (snoring or rasping) rapid heart beat low or undetectable heart beat chest pain and breathlessness, nausea, sweating or coughing up blood What is a heart attack? A heart attack happens when theres a reduction in blood supply to part of the heart muscle. This lack of blood flow can cause damage to the heart. Sometimes, when chest pain occurs suddenly, its unclear if its due to unstable angina or a heart attack. Until tests confirm the diagnosis, doctors sometimes call this Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Further information on causes and risk factors for a heart attack. Diagnosing a heart attack In order to find out if youre having a heart attack, youll need to have some tests. These tests can include: an electrocardiogram (ECG)  to check your hearts rhythm and electrical activity blood tests  to check troponin levels, a protein thats released into the blood stream when the heart muscle is damaged an assessment of blood pressure an assessment of blood oxygen levels a chest X-ray an echocardiogram  to assess the structure and function of your heart a coronary angiogram  to identify any blood vessels that are narrowed or blocked Based on your test results, your clinical team will decide your treatment plan. Treating a heart attack When someone has a heart attack, its important to restore blood flow quickly. Thisll minimise damage to the heart muscle and start to alleviate symptoms. Your treatment plan will depend on: the type of heart attack youve had your individual situation Types of treatment Treatment for a heart attack may consist of: anti-emetics  to stop sickness and nausea antiplatelet therapy  medication that thins the blood and gets rid of blood clots coronary angioplasty  a procedure to widen coronary arteries that are blocked or narrow oxygen therapy  to help with your breathing and oxygen levels pain-relieving drugs  like morphine reperfusion treatment  to help restore blood flow and maintain the hearts pumping action thrombolysis  a clot-busting drug to help restore blood flow to your heart People whove had a heart attack will need to take several different types of medication. Your doctor will try to find the best drugs for you with the fewest side effects. Complications of a heart attack Sometimes there are complications following a heart attack. The most common complications after a heart attack are: arrhythmias  problems with your hearts natural electrical rhythm heart failure  when the heart isnt pumping blood around the body as well as it should Many problems resolve themselves quite quickly. However, sometimes problems linger and can often be helped by medication. Recovering from a heart attack How long you stay in hospital will depend upon your circumstances and treatment. Dont be afraid to ask your medical team about whats happening. On discharge, you should be referred onto a cardiac rehabilitation programme. Cardiac rehabilitation You should receive an assessment to determine your individual goals and needs after a heart attack. Rehabilitation is usually a mix of exercise and education sessions. This helps to provide you with the information, advice and support to: understand your condition and medication recover from your heart attack, procedure or surgery make lifestyle changes to improve your heart health Your cardiac rehabilitation team can also give you advice on practical issues after a heart attack, including: driving mental wellbeing relationships sexual relationships returning to work long term recovery The British Heart Foundation has further information on cardiac rehabilitation. Source: Scottish Government - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 07 February 2024 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. 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