What Constitutes A Major Heart Attack

[Paw_Paw_Drew]

I just had a heart attack on the 11th. They put a stint in and I came home tuesday (My decision). I have felt fine and rested better at home but everyone says that I had a major heart attack. It surprised the ER and hospital people I took a shower, drove to the hospital, and was able to walk 2 and half blocks to ER. Whithin a few hrs I was feeling better than I had in a long time. I feel that if it had been major I would have had my chest opened and still be in hospital. Is this wrong thiking on my part. By the way I had 100% blockage of a atery preventing blood flow to 25% of heart.

I will ask Cardioligest when I visit in 2 weeks but what is your opinion now

Also I camped out at Wind Creek State Park friday night, went for a short hike saturday. Friend had to leave so went home saturday night to wake up sunday morning at 1AM with chest pains. Now isn't that good luck?

[Miriam C.]

Isn't it amazing what medicine can do now. I am so happy you went to the ER and got help.

My father died in 1969 leaving 8 children behind. He wouldn't go to the hospital because he knew there was little they could do. The result of staying home for a week caused him an eleven day stay, 3 resuscitations and eventual death. By the time he got help there was just too much scar tissue to over come.

Some of the newest treatments out then might have been able to help. Yes you would have had major damage had you not gotten help. That is the difference between a major heart attack and a permanent one.

Our prayer are with you.

[Sierrajack]

Drew,
I can tell you that even the slightest hint of a heart problem should be dealt with as a very serious matter!! Do not rely on the opinions of others who may tell you that you are "just fine" or "isn't that a miracle".
Blockages do not go away by themselves and "stints" do not provide any long term fixes. Please see your cardiologist or even better - see two and take their advice seriously. My friend, I can tell you from experience, the heart never heals itself.

[sledge]

There is no such thing as a SMALL Heart Attack. I have a Pace Maker myself, and I know a little about it. Don't take anything for granted , or put it off.......... we're all Campers here. We have to take care of our own.

[Gaelen]

I just had a heart attack on the 11th. They put a stint in and I came home tuesday (My decision). I have felt fine and rested better at home but everyone says that I had a major heart attack. It surprised the ER and hospital people I took a shower, drove to the hospital, and was able to walk 2 and half blocks to ER. Whithin a few hrs I was feeling better than I had in a long time. I feel that if it had been major I would have had my chest opened and still be in hospital. Is this wrong thiking on my part. By the way I had 100% blockage of a atery preventing blood flow to 25% of heart.

Paw_Paw_Drew, there actually are definitions for what is considered a 'major' heart attack. For you, the 'major' part is that you had a 100% blockage in one vessel (multiple blockages that equal more than 50% also make a heart attack 'major') and that you had a serious reduction in blood flow to the heart.

But the thing is, there's no such thing as a 'minor' heart attack in terms of the kind of damage heart attacks do. Lack of blood flow = tissue death in heart attack, and tissue death means that some part of the heart muscle no longer will *ever* function the way it should function. The liver is actually the only organ which can regenerate--and then, only if surgeons cut the diseased or damaged parts away.

You can make the undamaged sections of the heart stronger during your recovery, but no one can make better the areas that were damaged. Medicine has advanced a lot, but it just ain't that good yet.

It is a good thing you went to the hospital, and a *great* thing that you're feeling better! Here's to continued good news!

Gaelen (intercerebral hemorrhage survivor)

[Podunkfla]

I agree with the others... there is no such thing as a minor heart attack. Where the blockage is, as in how much of the artery is blocked and which of the three main arteries it was may be one way of sort of rating how major it was, but there is a lot more to it than that. How long it was blocked is very important too. In my case, some of my heart muscle will never contract and pump again because of the damage done while the artery was blocked. Stilll... I was also lucky in that I got help very quickly too. Some of us are fortunate to just get a "wake up call" and can go on to make some serious lifestyle changes to try and prevent another "big one"... Sounds like you just had yours. With proper diet and the good meds that we have today, you may never have another one, because regular checkups can often help the docs to fix problems before they result in another blockage (heart attack). Listen to what your cardiologist tells you and make the lifestyle changes you may need to and you may live to a ripe old age. Take care my friend, and best of luck.

friend ~ Brick

[Larwyn]

I just had a heart attack on the 11th. They put a stint in and I came home tuesday (My decision). I have felt fine and rested better at home but everyone says that I had a major heart attack. It surprised the ER and hospital people I took a shower, drove to the hospital, and was able to walk 2 and half blocks to ER. Whithin a few hrs I was feeling better than I had in a long time. I feel that if it had been major I would have had my chest opened and still be in hospital. Is this wrong thiking on my part. By the way I had 100% blockage of a atery preventing blood flow to 25% of heart.

I will ask Cardioligest when I visit in 2 weeks but what is your opinion now

Also I camped out at Wind Creek State Park friday night, went for a short hike saturday. Friend had to leave so went home saturday night to wake up sunday morning at 1AM with chest pains. Now isn't that good luck?

I understand your question well. I had my heart attack on the 22nd of last month. Was actually in the hospital less than three days. Left feeling great but with two stints. I think it is a bit hard to realize just how serious the problem was when the treatment works out so well.

On a new diet and a hand full of pills every morning now, but the hardest thing for me now is staying off the Marlboros. I smoked for over 40 years, but so far I am going on 19 days without nicotine. It is not easy.

[Guy]

Der Drew,

I am very happy you received good and speedy care.

Just because they did not crack your chest open has nothing to do with whether you had a major heart attack or not. Blocked arteries are just one of the ways to have a cardiac event. You are lucky they could even put a stent in an artery that was 100% block, usually that in and of itself means you need a bypass of the blockage and not a minimally invasive angioplasty.

Feel blessed, and not cocky, because few men, especially middle aged men, do not listen to the early pain and get to drive themselves to the ER. Everyone presents heart pain differently. I drove myself once and twice my friendly fireman drove me and he was much safer at driving.

Even after open heart surgery for a quadruple bypass they MAKE you get up and walk around within a couple of hours of the tubes coming out. Just pace yourself and don't try to prove anything to anyone. You got to be cool about it

[Dewayne_Mellen]

A couple of years ago I was in an online study on recognizing a heart attack. In it they said that there is a drug that if given within the an hour of the begining of a heart attack almost all damage can be reversed.

[Podunkfla]

A couple of years ago I was in an online study on recognizing a heart attack. In it they said that there is a drug that if given within the an hour of the begining of a heart attack almost all damage can be reversed.

I indeed got one of those amazing clot removing drugs... It did work, and fast. However I still had major damage done anyway. By the way... that little shot cost $3010.

[southpennrailroad]

A couple of years ago I was in an online study on recognizing a heart attack. In it they said that there is a drug that if given within the an hour of the begining of a heart attack almost all damage can be reversed.

I indeed got one of those amazing clot removing drugs... It did work, and fast. However I still had major damage done anyway. By the way... that little shot cost $3010.

Now this would give me a second attack! But after what my wife just went through and lost, I think I will pay the piper. By the way was one of the doctors named Piper?

[asianflava]

Now this would give me a second attack! But after what my wife just went through and lost, I think I will pay the piper. By the way was one of the doctors named Piper?

A buddy of mine has his Vasectomy done by Dr Richard (Dick) Chopp. It seems that several guys here at work know about him. No Joke, check out the website: http://www.urologyteam.com/our-doctors/ ... -chopp.htm

[Podunkfla]

[Miriam C.]

Now this would give me a second attack! But after what my wife just went through and lost, I think I will pay the piper. By the way was one of the doctors named Piper?

A buddy of mine has his Vasectomy done by Dr Richard (Dick) Chopp. It seems that several guys here at work know about him. No Joke, check out the website: http://www.urologyteam.com/our-doctors/ ... -chopp.htm

He also enjoys treating patients

Perhaps they should have written that a little differently.

[coreyjhen]

:o

Brick, seeing what you are responding to gives your quotation a whole new meaning!!