Medical Malpractice Cases & Settlements
In Washington & Oregon
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Treatments for Heart Attack
Heart attacks are caused by an obstruction in the blood flow to the heart. Once the obstruction is gone, the heart attack is over. Heart attack treatment efforts are aimed at clearing the obstruction to the heart.
- Drugs
Doctors use a variety of drugs to combat heart attacks. The most important of these are thrombolytics or clot busters. These drugs help dissolve blood clots. Clot busters are most effective when given within a few hours of the attack. Other drugs in the doctor's arsenal are beta blockers to decrease blood pressure, nitroglycerine to open narrowed blood vessels, pain medication, anticoagulants such as heparin to thin the blood, and antiplatelet drugs to reduce new clot formation.
- Coronary Angioplasty
Doctors use angioplasty to clear the clot. In angioplasty, a tube is inserted into an artery in the patient's groin or arm and pushed up to the area of the clot. When the tube reaches the clot, a small balloon is expanded to remove the clot.
- Stent
Sometimes a stent, which is a metal tube, is left in the place where the clot was to keep the vessel permanently open.
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
If the blockage is acute and more than angioplasty is needed, doctors will perform bypass surgery. In bypass surgery, a section of vein from the leg is used to create a detour around the portion of the vessel to the heart that is blocked so that blood can still flow around the blockage and nourish the heart.
Heart attack patients also, of course, require considerable rehabilitative care and lifestyle changes after their heart attacks have been successfully treated. This topic is beyond the scope of this article. See the links section for further information.
Early detection and treatment of heart attacks can prevent serious heart damage. If you are concerned that your doctor did not prevent, detect or treat your heart attack soon enough, please contact Fuller & Fuller, Attorneys, for a free evaluation of your claim . Fuller & Fuller is a family of medical malpractice lawyers serving residents of Washington and Oregon.
Fuller & Fuller is a family of medical malpractice and serious injury lawyers serving residents of Washington and Oregon.
