Heart attack is a familiar word whereas ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome) is not. It’s very often used by the doctors in an Emergency Room. ACS occurs when the blood supply of the heart is blocked either completely or partially. Blood is supplied to the heart by coronary arteries. It’s in these coronary arteries when blocked these patients face lots of symptoms which can vary from simple uneasiness to severe chest pain. Hence my aim is to spread awareness about this medical condition which is proved to be a life saviour in various patients. So it is better to understand this term in simple words. I have penned down briefly about Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
Signs and Symptoms
Pain and discomfort in the chest
Pain in the shoulder arms upper abdomen neck jaw and back
Dizziness and Nausea
Difficulty in breathing
Heavy sweating
Feeling of restlessness
Excessive Yawning
Causes of Acute Coronary Syndrome
It is time to look for the causes of acute coronary syndrome. As discussed in the beginning, acute coronary syndrome is the result of interrupted blood flow to the heart. This typically happens due to coronary artery disease that is a result of plaque build up in the arteries.
This plaque is made up of fat, LDL cholesterol, RBC and WBC etc. When this plaque becomes larger it affects the flow of the blood in the arteries, thus blocking them and causing symptoms. This plaque can also rupture and its small fragments can dislodge in the arteries causing complete blockage leading to heart attack Now, Plaque which contains substances like LDL cholesterol, fats, white blood cells, etc. gets accumulated on the walls of the arteries over the time. In some cases, it becomes large, thereby affecting the normal blood flow in the body. It can also rupture and form a blood clot that can plug up the blood vessel and result in a heart attack.
ACS is a medical emergency and needs prompt medical care. If you or any of your loved ones show the signs listed above, you must immediately contact a cardiologist in Delhi for a suitable treatment.
Risk Factors
It is important to understand the risk factors that increase the chances of acute coronary syndrome.
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Less physical activity
- Smoking
- Unhealthy and irregular diet
- Obesity
- Age above 45 yr in man and 55 yr in female
- Family history of heart disease
How is ACS is diagnosed?
After identifying signs and symptoms, you must consult heart specialist for proper diagnosis. You can visit Max healthcare Vaishali where you can find heart specialist who make sure that you get a suitable treatment on time.
Some of the common diagnostic tests include:
- Blood test
- ECG
- Echocardiogram
- Chest xray
- Stress test ( TMT)
- CT angiogram
- Conventional angiography
- Myocardial perfusion scan
If you are detected with acute coronary syndrome, our doctors will follow suitable treatment to restore the heart function quickly.
Treatment may vary from medication to stenting and hence to bypass surgery. For accurate information, you can consult our heart specialists in Max healthcare Vaishali.
How to prevent ACS?
It’s always better to bring healthy changes in life style to prevent health complications than to wait for any mis happening and then search for treatment options. Some mandatory life style changes you should adopt are as follows
- Quit smoking
- Healthy diet
- Keep a check on cholesterol levels
- Perform regular walk and exercise
- Shed extra kilos of weight
- Control and monitor blood pressure and sugar
- Minimise your alcohol consumption
- Manage stress
Follow these habits on regular basis and your can cut down the risk of ACS significantly to lead healthy life.