CT scan : What is a heart attack and what are its consequences

[Dr.Mason Weiss]

Knowing the basic information about how to survive a heart attack is important to people of all ages. The chances that one self or someone they love will suffer from a heart attack during their life time, and whether or not one survives the heart attach will be solely based on what he or she and the doctors does about the heart attack in the first few hours and then over the long term. The best way to prevent a heart attack is to avoid it. If one feels that they are experiencing symptoms of heart attack he or she should consult with their cardiologist who will then order a CT heart scan and if nothing is identified and the symptoms still persist then he may order a Full body scan.

A myocardial infraction commonly known as a heart attack is the most severe form of acute coronary syndrome. Cardiologist say a heart attack is generally triggered by the rupture of a plaque within a coronary artery. The rupture causes a blood clot to form and this leads to blockage of the artery. The area of the heart muscle which is supplied blood by the blocked artery begins to die. It is the death of the heart muscle that defines the heart attack.

The consequences of a heart attack depend on how much of the heart muscle dies, and which of the coronary arteries was blocked, and where in the artery did the blockage occur. Blockage near the origin of an artery will affect more heart muscle than a blockage farther down the artery. If the muscle damage is sever, he or she may develop acute heart failure during the heart attack, this is very dangerous. If the amount of heart muscle damage is less severe but still substantial one may develop heart failure later on. Therefore taking precautions to avoid heart failure after heart attack are imperative to treating a heart attack. Heart attacks also, produce hazardous heart arrhythmias. During the heart attack electrical instability may trigger ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. After this scare tissue results from the healing process may cause permanent electrical instability. Unfortunately this means sudden death from cardiac arrest is risk during heart attack and after heart attack recovery. However after heart attack recover cardiologist can run scans such as 64 Slice CT scan in order to ensure that one is out of danger although it may take time to get there.