Print | Search | Send-to-Friend | Health Library Home

• Main Page • Risk Factors • Symptoms • Diagnosis • Treatment • Screening • Reducing Your Risk • Talking to Your Doctor • Living With Heart Attack • Resource Guide

Treatments for Heart Attack

by Michael Jubinville, MPH

En Español (Spanish Version)
 

The goal of treatment is to return blood flow to the heart muscle, limit damage, and lower the risk of other heart attacks. Treatment starts before and after reaching the hospital. Care includes:

  • Oxygen therapy—brings more oxygen to the heart muscle to lower the risk of heart damage
  • Medicine—opens blood vessels to increase blood flow to the heart and treats other problems that increase heart disease risk such as high blood pressure
  • Lifestyle changes—smoking, diet, and exercise habits can be changed to lower heart disease risk
  • Surgery—to return or improve blood flow to the heart
  • Cardiac rehab—a structured program focused on lifestyle changes and regular exercise

Your care team is made up of many types of health professionals. This includes doctors, surgeons, nurses, and pharmacists. Keep in touch with your team and to go recommended appointments. This will help you get the most from the treatments.

Heart attack treatment include:

• Lifestyle changes • Medications • Other treatments • Surgery
REFERENCES:

Acute coronary syndromes. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116779/Acute-coronary-syndromes. Updated March 15, 2019. Accessed March 26, 2019.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115392/ST-elevation-myocardial-infarction-STEMI. Updated July 10, 2018. Accessed March 26, 2019.

Treatment of a heart attack. American Heart Association website. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/treatment-of-a-heart-attack. Accessed March 26, 2019.

• Previous • Next

 



Last reviewed March 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael J. Fucci, DO, FACC
Last Updated: 3/26/2019

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy