Diagnosis of Heart Attack

Introduction

Proper diagnosis of heart attack carries varies invasive and non-invasive procedures.

How a heart attack is diagnosed?

Consulting a doctor

Many people are embraced to meet the doctor to consult with some suspicious symptoms of heart attack.

But this is very important to take detailed history of patients in various aspects before going to laboratory investigations.

History Taking By a Doctor

The proper history revealed by the patient will save the precious time to save the life.

There is general proverb "No one should tell lies to the Lawyer and Doctor". The irrelevant and false history will put the victim in trouble.

The patient may have mild heart attack symptoms like angina, breathlessness and left arm pain.

In severe cases patient may have massive heart attack symptoms like severe chest pain.

In atypical cases patient may have silent heart attack symptoms.

Treatment History

In the case of patients with previous history of Heart Attack the treatment history should be given to the doctor.

This is very important one to select the proper drug with higher effeciency and avoid the drugs which causes trouble to the patient.

It is always advisable to keep the copy of prescription of drugs given by the doctor previously.

The patient should be admitted in Intensive Medical Care Units without delay.

Heart attacks are most often diagnosed by health care providers in an emergency room.

Lab Test for Heart Attack

Some of the tests that can de done to tell if you have had or are having a heart attack include:

Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)

This is the first and very important investigation for the diagnosis of heart attack.

The electrocardiogram test reveals the heart function and blockage of particular blood vessel.

When patients only having symptoms during exertion heart stress test or Tread Mill Test and

nuclear stress test are recommended.

checks the heart's rhythm and can locate the part of the heart where a heart attack might be occurring (or has occurred)

Echocardiogram

In the case of severe heart attack patient may undergo heart failure.

The echocardiogram test shows the pumping power of heart and the enlargement of heart due to heart attack.

Blood test for Heart Attack

Serum Lipid Profile

This test is the prime one in the diagnosis of heart attack.

This test is done after 12 hours fasting.

This blood test gives the measurement of various fat component in our body.

Normal Value

Cholesterol : 130 to 200 mgs/dl

Triglycerides : 60 to 160 mgs/dl

HDL(Good Cholesterol) : 30 to 60 mgs/dl

LDL(Bad Cholesterol) : 50 to 120 mgs/dl

VLDL Cholesterol : 12 to 35 mgs/dl

.

Blood Test in Diabetic Cases with Heart Attack

In patients with diabetes and heart attack the level of blood sugar is estimated.

After 12 hours of fasting blood sugar is estimated and 2 hours after meal blood sugar(Post Prandial) again estimated.

Normal Value

Fasting Blood Sugar : 70 to 110 mgs/dl

Post prandial Blood sugar :120 to 150 mgs/dl

The another important test is estimation of Serum Glycosylated Hemoglobin(HB A1c) is a very important marker to estimate the level of severity of diabetes.

This test is being done for once two months for a known diabetic patients.

Blood Cardiac Markers

The increased level of cardiac enzymes in the blood helps the diagnosis of heart attack.

The following enzymes are estimated for the diagnosis of heart attack.

• Creatine Kinase(CK)
• Aspartate Amino Transferace(AST)
• Lactate Dehydrogenase(LDH)

Cardiac catheterization
looks for problems with the blood vessels, heart chambers, heart valves, and heart birth defects.

Nuclear imaging

looks for damaged areas of the heart and problems with the heart's pumping action.

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