Heart attack and acute coronary syndrome
Description
An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of heart attack.
Alternative Names
Acute coronary syndrome; Myocardial infarction
Highlights
Vitamin B
Folic acid and vitamin B supplements do not help prevent second heart attacks, suggest a 2006 study in the
New England Journal of Medicine
. Moreover, high doses of these vitamins may be harmful for patients who have stents in their coronary arteries.
NSAIDs and COX-2 Inhibitors
People who have previously had a heart attack should not take pain medication like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or celecoxib (Celebrex) without first talking to their doctor. Research presented at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting indicated that high doses of COX-2 inhibitors, and some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may increase the risk of death for heart attack survivors.
Pregnancy and Heart Attacks
Pregnant women who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or coronary artery disease are at increased risk for having a heart attack. The risk is greatest for women 40 years and older.
Drug Research
-
Fondaparinux (Arixtra) is a blood-thinning drug that is showing promise as an alternative to heparin for both higher-risk patients who have had a severe heart attack and lower-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
-
Clopidogrel (Plavix) and aspirin may not work as well as aspirin alone in preventing a first heart attack, according to controversial research published in the
New England Journal of Medicine
. However, experts agree that this drug combination is very helpful for patients who have already had a heart attack. Clopidogrel is also important for patients undergoing angioplasty and stenting.
-
Abciximab (ReoPro) can help reduce the risk of a heart attack in patients with ACS who require angioplasty, according to the
Journal of the American Medical Association
. Abciximab is given along with clopidogrel and other drugs in the days before surgery.
-
Stents coated with the drug sirolimus work better than bare metal stents for patients with diabetes, according to a study in
Circulation
.
-
Review Date: 4/15/2006
-
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital
|
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's
accreditation program
is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s
editorial process
. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
|
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2007
A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
