Treatment of Heart attack

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If there is no breathing, coughing, movement, or response to stimulation (being touched or spoken to) immediate lifesaving treatment with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be started.

CPR consists of giving 15 chest compressions to massage the heart for every two mouth-to-mouth resuscitation breaths.

An ambulance crew or doctor arriving at the scene will give oxygen through a mask or nose tubes to increase the amount reaching the heart. They will also give a pain-relieving injection, and sometimes a diuretic injection to reduce fluid build-up in the lungs if this is a problem.

If the heart has stopped, the medical team at the scene or in hospital will try to restart the heart with a device called a defibrillator. This sends an electric shock across the chest, kick-starting the heart to beat again. Simple automatic defibrillators are becoming increasingly common in public places.

Clot-busting injections are now routinely used in hospital. These dissolve the clot in the heart artery and allow the damaged heart muscle to recover, sometimes completely. They must be given within 24 hours at the most. Because the heart rhythm may become temporarily abnormal as it recovers, this treatment is best given when the heart rhythm can be continuously monitored on an electrocardiogram (ECG). This can be done in an ambulance or in hospital.

Aspirin reduces the stickiness of blood. 300 milligrams given immediately as a tablet reduces the risk of further damage from new clots.

In a straightforward recovery it is normal to be home within a week or less. Work can be restarted 4-12 weeks after the MI, depending on the level of physical exertion involved with the job. Driving can restart after one month, but DVLA and insurance company must be informed of the MI as soon as possible.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes reduce the risk of future problems and help the return to a normal life. These usually start 6 weeks after the MI.