Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Elderly

 Acute Coronary Syndrome is a condition in which the blood flow to your heart gets blocked. There are many reasons as to why this happens like artery blockage or cholesterol build-up resulting in fatty acids blocking blood movements. When there is an inadequate supply of blood to the heart, its functioning gets affected. 

Normally,  ‘Acute Coronary Syndrome’ is detected with mild to severe chest pain. But there are other symptoms too, that shouldn’t be ignored. 

Symptoms of  Acute Coronary Syndrome:

• Mild to severe chest pain that could spread to other parts of the body like the shoulder, arm, neck, back, or abdomen. 

• Nausea and vomiting

• Shortness of breath

• Feeling dizzy, or fainting

• Excessive Sweating, fatigue, and restlessness

 Acute Coronary Syndrome occurs abruptly showing immediate and severe symptoms. It is a medical emergency hence, has to be diagnosed and treated swiftly. Therefore, consult a doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms. 

What causes Acute Coronary Syndrome? 

The build-up of fatty acids in the walls of coronary arteries and blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the heart causes ‘Plaques’. This plaque when ruptured or separated causes blood clots that block the flow of blood into the heart thus depriving the heart muscles and cells of oxygen. Lack of oxygen results in cell death causing ‘Myocardial Infarction’ commonly known as a heart attack. When cell death doesn’t occur in ‘Acute Coronary Syndrome’ it is known as ‘Unstable Angina’. Lack of oxygen only affects the functioning of heart muscles which might cause temporary or permanent damage to the heart but cell death doesn’t occur.

Factors that contribute to the occurrence of Acute Coronary Syndrome:

• Aging

• Obesity

• High blood pressure and cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Smoking

• Lack of physical activities and unhealthy food intake

• Family history of heart disease

• Family history of high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes

Treatment methods of Acute Coronary Syndrome:

The main aim of every treatment method is to improve blood flow, treat any further complications that arise, and prevent future problems. The different treatment methods include:

Coronary Angiogram

Coronary Angiogram is a process in which a type of dye that is visible through the x-ray machine is injected into your blood vessels. Then, a series of x-ray images known as angiograms are taken to find if any blockages exist in the coronary arteries. In case of any clogging, doctors can open blocked arteries during the coronary angiogram. This is known as Angioplasty.

How is an Angioplasty performed?

Coronary Angioplasty is a procedure in which blockages in heart arteries are removed. It is also known as ‘Percutaneous Coronary Intervention’. In this process, a small balloon-shaped Catheter is inserted into the blocked blood vessel which widens it to clear the blockage. This allows blood to flow back into the heart.

In order to prop the artery open and to prevent it from closing while removing the blockage a wire mesh tube called the stent is used. It is coated with medication to aid in keeping the artery open. Angioplasty is more of an emergency procedure to quickly clear blockages in the heart during a heart attack or to ease the symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome like chest pain.

 Coronary Bypass Surgery

In this procedure, a healthy blood vessel is taken from some other part of the body and is placed above and below the damaged/partially blocked artery. This re-directs the flow of blood around this artery enabling blood to enter the heart. Coronary Bypass Surgery doesn’t cure heart diseases but it eases the symptoms caused by them like chest pain. It also improves the heart’s functioning and keeps the heart muscles healthy.

Life after recovery from ‘Acute Coronary Syndrome’:

In order to lead a healthy and disease-free life after recovering from Acute Coronary Syndrome, it is essential to make some lifestyle changes and follow them on a regular basis. Some of these include:

1. Adequate physical activity and exercise

2. Following a diet that provides balanced nutrition.

3. Avoiding food with too much cholesterol and bad fats.

4. Staying relaxed and avoiding unnecessary stress.

5. Spending more time in natural surroundings and fresh air.

While you focus on physical activities, it is important to not over-strain yourself. This might lead to further complications instead of making you feel better. This is why many hospitals, community centers, and senior care centers provide Cardiac Rehabilitation programs that educate heart patients on what kind of exercise to follow and for how long. They also help with choosing the right diet for you. 

If you’re doing exercises on your own ensure that even after heavy physical activities you are able to talk properly without any difficulty. If you can do so, then that’s the right amount of exercise. If you notice any of the following effects after working out, consult a doctor immediately.

1. Chest pain

2. Dizziness or blacking out

3. Shortness of breath

4. Extreme tiredness or total exhaustion

5. Uneven heartbeat

These days many aged heart patients feel safer when under professional supervision. Especially, when they are living alone away from their family. This is when senior care facilities like ‘Antara Care homes’ come into the picture.

• Antara takes care of you as their own.

• They provide residential care with their accommodation being very senior-friendly. 

• They have personalized menus to provide you with food that suits your health conditions while also being delicious.

• They have an inbuilt  24/7 clinic and all-time transportation facilities to nearby hospitals in case of an emergency.

• They also provide home physiotherapy services.

• You get to socialize with other seniors in their homes.

This would be the safest and comfortable option for seniors who need assistance.

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