Don't Play Block

A little care and whole lot of awareness go a long way in saving your heart from blockage.

- Dr TS Kler

The medical definition of atherosclerosis is hardening of arteries. It is a slow process that progresses over years, right inside womb. With increasing cases, the word is enough to send chill down someone’s spine.

Atherosclesosis is initiated due to deposition of fat into the walls of blood vessels. This initiates a slow inflammation in vessel wall with the consequence of narrowing or sometimes dilatation of the vessel. This may go clinically silent most of the times but sometimes when it reaches critical level it can lead to various manifestations such as heart attack, angina, stroke, aneurysm and claudication.

HEART ATTACK

Heart attack is an emergency situation in which usually one of the arteries supplying blood to heart is clogged, most commonly due to formation of clot. This situation is to be attended immediately and the total essence of its management lies in time.

Ideally the best management is emergency angiography and angioplasty without wasting time. It is commonly seen that it is difficult for patients to understand the gravity and urgency of the situation. Therefore, important time is lost with irreversible damage to the heart. More public education initiatives are required so that patients are well aware of this situation and that they do not lose important time.

Besides, medically, angioplasty clot dissolving drugs can be used but their efficacy is found to be less than angioplasty especially as the time goes by. Patients who have suffered a heart attack need lifelong medications and timely follow-up with their physicians to avoid pitfalls.

ANGINA