The supply of oxygen into the cells is so important. If it becomes too low, the cells of the heart muscles may die. It is very important to take care of the heart health because without the heart, there will be no some other organs in the body that will pump the blood, thus leading to death. However, there are some serious illnesses that may hinder the heart from functioning properly. One of which is the acute coronary syndrome. It is a condition happens as a result of a buildup of fatty deposits on the walls of the coronary arteries. This condition is quite sudden and is a serious one. Hence, having enough knowledge about the causes, symptoms, as well as the treatments for acute coronary syndrome can be beneficial for the treatment and prevention of the condition. If you want to know these and more, read on.
Acute Coronary Syndrome: What is this condition?
Acute coronary syndrome might be that familiar to you or to some other people, but you might have heard of heart attack, isn’t it? Actually, a heart attack is one type of the acute coronary syndrome. This affects millions and millions of individuals worldwide. Moreover, it is also often one of the foremost reasons for death in a certain population.
Methodically speaking, the acute coronary syndrome, actually is distinguished by the incapability of the blood to flow appropriately all over the body, in particular, through the heart. This results in austere chest pain, a locked jaw, or an absence of control or movement over one part of the body. Not only that, it is also established by shortness of breathing, vomiting, nausea, and sweating. The heart provides blood to all the parts of the body. Hence, an acute coronary syndrome, wherein the blood stops to pump blood for the other parts of the body, may extremely threaten the life of an individual and may become so dangerous.
Furthermore, another condition that is under the acute coronary syndrome is the myocardial infarction. This is when the cell death leads to the damaging or destroying of the tissue in the heart. Although there is no cell death that is caused by the acute coronary syndrome, the reduction of the flow of blood may alter the function of the heart and may indicate a higher danger of coronary attack.
Types of Acute Coronary Syndrome
Here are three types of the coronary heart disease:
- STEMI or Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction or simply heart attack
- NSTEMI or Non-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction or heart attack
- Unstable angina
Furthermore, doctors classify the acute coronary syndrome depending on:
- Electrocardiography results
- Symptoms
- The presence of some substances in the blood that is released by the impaired heart
The proper classification of the condition is necessary when you’re going to choose the proper treatments for the acute coronary syndrome.
Symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome
Here are various indications of the acute coronary syndrome:
- Sweating
- Vomiting or nausea
- Indigestion
- The feeling of lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the stomach, neck, jaw, back, and one or both of the arms
- Chest discomfort or pain
These symptoms are quite serious and the patient must immediately seek emergency treatment. Furthermore, the chest pain that is caused by the condition may come suddenly and even without warning.
Causes of Acute Coronary Syndrome
The blockage in the arteries, which supply the blood to the heart muscle may result in the condition. Arteries may become narrowed or blocked because of the plaque buildup along the artery walls.
The plaque may contain:
- White blood cells
- Fats
- Bad cholesterol
- Some other substances
The plaques may grow excessively that there’s no room for the blood to flow all throughout the artery.
Risk Factors for Acute Coronary heart Syndrome
There are various factors that may increase the risk of the acute coronary syndrome, and they are the following:
- Family history
- Diabetes
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- Overweight
- Obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Lacking physical activity
- Smoking
- High levels of cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Age
Treatments for Acute Coronary Syndrome
The acute coronary syndrome is a serious medical emergency. Hence, various immediate treatments for the acute coronary syndrome is necessary. There are short and long-term goals in the treatments. The short-term goals include the improvement of the blood flow and relieving the pain. This is to restore the heart function as soon as possible.
The long-term goals, on the other hand, include the improvement of the overall heart function, reducing the risk of heart attack, and managing the various risk factors. The typical treatments for the acute coronary syndrome are the combination of some surgical operations and medical drugs.
Medications include:
- Statins
- Angiotensin receptor blockers
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
- Beta-blockers
- Antiplatelet drugs
- Nitroglycerin
Lifestyle changes include:
- Drinking alcohol in moderation
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Paying attention to the levels of blood pressure as well as cholesterol
- Being active
- Not smoking
- Following a heart-healthy diet
With the proper medications and lifestyle changes, it is not impossible to prevent the acute coronary syndrome or to cure it and live a normal life.
