Heart attack is the common name for Myocardial infarction. The details could be found in the following link:
Briefly, the following are the risk factors for heart attack:
- Diabetes (with or without insulin resistance) - the single most important risk factor for ischaemic heart disease (IHD)
- Tobacco smoking
- Hypercholesterolemia (more accurately hyperlipoproteinemia, especially high low density lipoprotein and low high density lipoprotein)
- Low HDL
- High Triglycerides
- High blood pressure
- Family history of ischaemic heart disease (IHD)
- Obesity (defined by a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m², or alternatively by waist circumference or waist-hip ratio).
- Age: Men acquire an independent risk factor at age 45, Women acquire an independent risk factor at age 55; in addition individuals acquire another independent risk factor if they have a first-degree male relative (brother, father) who suffered a coronary vascular event at or before age 55. Another independent risk factor is acquired if one has a first-degree female relative (mother, sister) who suffered a coronary vascular event at age 65 or younger.
- Hyperhomocysteinemia (high homocysteine, a toxic blood amino acid that is elevated when intakes of vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folic acid are insufficient)
- Stress (occupations with high stress index are known to have susceptibility for atherosclerosis)
- Alcohol Studies show that prolonged exposure to high quantities of alcohol can increase the risk of heart attack
- Males are more at risk than females.
These days doctors are performing Angiogram in the first 3 - 5 hours after the attack. Angiogram is a invasive procedure, where there is a microscopic x-ray camera sent through the groin of the patient to find the possible blocks in the vessels of the heart. These blocks cause heart attack. If the blocks are simple enough (small), then an Angioplasty would be done.
An empty and collapsed balloon on a guide wire, known as a balloon catheter, is passed into the narrowed locations and then inflated to a fixed size using water pressures some 75 to 500 times normal blood pressure (6 to 20 atmospheres). The balloon crushes the fatty deposits, so opening up the blood vessel to improved flow, and the balloon is then collapsed and withdrawn.
If Angioplasty doesn't clear the blocks, then stenting is done in that vessel. A stent is an artificial 'tube' inserted into a natural passage/conduit in the body to prevent, or counteract, a disease-induced, localized flow constriction.
For more information on Angiogram:
For more information on Angioplasty:
For more information on Stent:
Now, let's talk about doctors (in India). In India, the following are the levels of doctors:
- MBBS -- Basic graduation. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
- MD/MS -- MD is Doctor of Medicine. MS is Doctor of Surgery. This is a post graduation course. One can opt out for specialization in a field at this level
- DM or DNB/MCh or DNB -- DM is Doctorate of Medicine. MCh is Doctorate of Surgery.
An MD or a DNB (general medicine or paediatrics) is the basic requirement for specialization in Cardiology, Nephrology, Neonatology, Gastro-enterology, Neurology, etc while an MS or a DNB (general surgery, ENT or Orthopaedic surgery) is the basic requirement for Neurosurgery, Urology, Cardio-thoracic & Vascular Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, etc.
Now, if you want to choose a good doctor, always prefer a DM. If you want a good surgeon always prefer a MCh. If possible, also look at the college from which they passed out.
The best colleges according to a survey:
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
- Armed Forces Medical College, (AFMC), Pune
- Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry
- Maulana Azad Medical College, (MAMC), Delhi
- Grant Medical College, Mumbai
- Madras Medical College, (MMC), Chennai
