Aspirin and heart attacks
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Aspirin Treatment for Heart Attacks
Risk Factors for Heart Attacks
Understanding Coronary Artery Disease
- Lifestyle Choices: Factors like smoking, high-fat diets, low exercise, and diabetes increase the risk of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries.
- Common Risk for Stroke: Similar pathophysiology increases the risk of stroke.
- Aggravating Factors: Smoking and stress worsen these risk factors.
Atherosclerotic Plaques and Their Consequences
Understanding Artery Obstruction and Clot Formation
Plaque Development: Atherosclerotic plaques develop inside arteries, gradually narrowing them and impeding blood flow.
Rupture Risk: Plaques can rupture, triggering thrombogenic reactions, platelet adhesion, and blood clot formation.
Cardiac Consequences: If this occurs in a coronary artery, it can lead to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle and, in major arteries, result in cardiac arrest.
Management of Myocardial Infarction
Essential Steps in Treating Heart Attacks
- ECG Evaluation: Obtain an ECG to assess ST elevation, T wave inversion, or normal ECG patterns.
- Aspirin Administration: Administer aspirin (300 milligrams) unless contraindicated.
- Optimal Aspirin Delivery: Advise the patient to chew aspirin, rinse it around their mouth with water for faster absorption through the buccal mucosa.
- Safe Dosage: It's safe to provide 300 milligrams of aspirin even if the patient is on a daily 75-milligram dose.