Heart Attack: When bystanders turn Good Samaritans. Doctors at Sakra World Hospital saved the life of a 42-year-old auto driver by performing emergency angioplasty. Mr. Balu (name changed) was brought into the Hospital by his fellow auto drivers. He suffered from diabetes and hypertension and complained of severe central chest pain radiating from his left arm.
Mr. Balu was immediately admitted and diagnostic tests were performed which revealed that he suffered from a case of heart attack. “Heart Attack is one of the most common heart conditions which affect approximately 10 million people in the country every year. A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked, due to the build-up of fat and cholesterol, which forms plaque in the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart). This interrupted blood flow results in damaging or destroying part of the heart muscle.” says, Dr Sreekanth B Shetty, Senior Consultant and Head of Interventional Cardiology, Sakra World Hospital.
Over a period of time coronary arteries can narrow due to the build-up of plaque. During a heart attack, plaques tend to rupture and blood clot forms at the site of the rupture, if large enough it can completely block the flow of blood through the coronary artery.
The common symptom of heart attack is pain, tightness, pressure in your chest or arms that spread to your neck, jaw or back. Nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweat, fatigue and light headedness are other symptoms associated with the condition.
The emergency angiogram revealed the location of the blocked artery, which restricted the flow of blood. Any delay in intervention could result in complicating the condition of Mr. Balu. The patient and his family were convinced of the need for surgery and was rushed into the cathlab. An emergency Angioplasty was conducted, the blockage was removed and stent was placed to mitigate complications.
In most cases heart attack turns fatal due to lack of awareness about the condition. This case illustrates how timely help can save a heart attack patient’s life. The prompt action of his bystanders and immediate intervention by the doctors helped him make a quick recovery. Though heart attacks and heart attack angioplasty are an everyday occurrence, oftentimes patient’s or their relatives delay availing treatment and sometimes even stonewall attempts to counsel them to take the right decisions, all because of sheer ignorance and misinformation, often with fatal consequences. A person might look healthy on the outside, but that might not always be the case. Patients with risk factors for coronary disease (such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) should be particularly alert about these symptoms.
“I owe my life to the doctors at Sakra World Hospital and my friends. If they had not brought me to the hospital on time, I could have lost my life. I am forever indebted to them” said, Mr. Balu.
