Millionaire Health Advices

Any sharp pain in the chest always deserves a visit to the emergency department, although the cause is not necessarily a heart attack but a coronary artery spasm. The April issue of the “Mayo Clinic Health Letter” is about this trigger problem and what it stands for heart health.

A coronary artery spasm is a brief and temporary narrowing of the artery that supplies blood to the heart. The spasm can cause symptoms of angina, or chest tightness or a squeezing pain and overwhelming. Although the spasm is not a heart attack, it can trigger one or start a fatal heart rhythm disturbance. When events are repeated, that can alter cardiac function and prepare the ground to produce heart failure.

The coronary artery spasm is more common among young people, but also occurs among older people, especially among older women. The condition is usually diagnosed by radiological imaging (coronary angiography) obtained after the patient presents with chest pain or other symptoms of heart attack. When doctors do not discover any narrowing of the arteries, or blockades characteristic of coronary artery disease is suspected then a spasm of the coronary artery. The diagnosis is confirmed by further testing.

The fact that there is no narrowing of the arteries does not necessarily mean that all is well, because coronary artery disease usually occurs at the site occurred on coronary artery spasm. In the early stages of coronary artery disease, blood vessels undergo changes imperceptible. In addition, cholesterol-laden plaques initially grow outward, without causing narrowing.

The initial treatment for coronary artery spasm focuses on underlying causes. In older people, this includes dealing with some lifestyle factors that increase the risk of heart disease. The recommendations will be to suspend the use of snuff, maintain a healthy weight and eat healthier, manage stress well. Any additional treatment would focus on controlling other risk factors such as hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes.

Many patients respond well to initial therapies, especially those with minimal coronary artery disease. Other alternatives include the placement of a stent at the site of spasm or the implantation of a defibrillator to stop heart arrhythmias.

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