On a routine day, Mr. Thong, a 56-year-old man, experienced sudden left chest pain. Initially, he thought it was due to muscle strain and rested for a while. However, the pain persisted and returned while he was riding his motorbike. Despite taking medication and resting, the pain did not subside. Concerned about his health, Mr. Thong decided to go to the hospital for an examination.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Dr. Vo Anh Minh from the Vascular Intervention Center at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City diagnosed Mr. Thong with acute myocardial infarction. The medical team performed a thrombectomy to remove the blood clots from the blocked right coronary artery with lumen blood clots, relieving Mr. Thong of chest pain and stabilizing his heart rate and blood pressure.
Dr. Huynh Ngoc Long, Director of the Vascular Intervention Center at Tam Anh General Hospital, explained that after thrombus aspiration, an angioplasty stent was not needed as the vessel lumen was no longer narrowed. The patient’s smoking habits were identified as a major risk factor for acute myocardial infarction formation due to various mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis in coronary arteries.
Dr. Long emphasized that smokers are at a higher risk of heart attacks and other complications than non-smokers and urged long-term smokers to quit smoking regularly exercise moderately maintain a healthy diet reduce re-occlusion risk in coronary artery.
In conclusion, sudden left chest pain can be life-threatening if ignored or misdiagnosed as muscle strain or any other condition other than acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is crucial to seek medical help immediately if experiencing chest pain accompanied by sweating and shortness of breath or any other symptoms associated with AMI.
The success of thrombectomy procedures highlights how important regular check-ups and screenings are for individuals who smoke regularly or have a family history of cardiovascular disease.
Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases caused by smoking habits like Mr Thong’s one pack per day habit for over 30 years which led him this condition but it’s never late to start changing your lifestyle habits for better health outcomes!