A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, can result in varying outcomes for patients depending on various factors such as the extent of damage to the heart muscle, age, gender and the timing of emergency treatment. Survival rates range from a year to more than five years post-heart attack. This condition occurs when there is a decrease in blood supply to the heart muscle, often due to a blood clot blocking a blood vessel that feeds the heart. Prompt treatment is essential as myocardial infarction has a high mortality rate if left untreated.
Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest pain, also known as angina, as well as fatigue, sweating, difficulty breathing and fainting. However, some individuals such as the elderly, diabetics or women may not experience chest pain as a symptom. The life expectancy of patients with myocardial infarction depends on several factors including age, gender, the degree of myocardial damage and the timeliness of emergency treatment.
The timeliness of emergency treatment is critical in improving the prognosis of a patient with myocardial infarction. Within the first six hours of symptom onset, early intervention can significantly improve survival rates. The “golden hour” refers to the first 1-2 hours after symptom onset when myocardial reperfusion can limit further damage to the heart muscle. The “silver hour” and “bronze hour” refer to later time frames where the effectiveness of treatment may decrease.
There are many causes of myocardial infarction with atherosclerosis being a common factor. Risk factors such as smoking, stress, inflammation and infections can contribute to the development of blood clots that block blood vessels leading to heart attack