Last Updated: 24th July, 2022
Myocardial ischemia develops because blood flows to your heart become lessened, thus prohibiting adequate oxygen from the heart muscle (myocardium). The decreased blood flow typically results from a partially or complete obstruction of the arteries (coronary arteries) of your heart.
Myocardial ischemia, commonly known as cardiac ischemia, which decreases the capability of the heart muscle (myocardium) to pump blood. An unexpected, acute obstruction of one of the arteries of the heart can result in a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Myocardial ischemia could also lead to severe heart rhythms that are irregular.
Myocardial ischemia treatment generally includes increasing blood flow to the muscle of the heart (myocardium). Medications used for the treatment, a process for opening blocked arteries (angioplasty) or bypass surgery might be included. In the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia, keeping heart-healthy lifestyle selection is most vital.
Table Of Contents
- Causes Of Myocardial Ischemia
- Symptoms Of Myocardial Ischemia
- Myocardial Ischemia Risk Factors
- Diagnosis Of Myocardial Ischemia
- Treatment Of Myocardial Ischemia
- Complications Of Myocardial Ischemia
- Prevention Of Myocardial Ischemia
Causes Of Myocardial Ischemia
Myocardial ischemia happens once the blood flow through one or more than one of your coronary arteries is shrunken. The low blood flow decreases the quantity of oxygen your cardiac muscle (myocardium) receives.
Myocardial ischemia would eventually develop slowly as the arteries become blocked over time. Or it might occur quickly once an artery becomes blocked suddenly.
Conditions which could trigger myocardial ischemia typically involve:
- Coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis). Plaques formed up generally of cholesterol build, abreast of your artery walls and prohibit blood flow. Atherosclerosis is that the most typical reason behind myocardial ischemia.
- Blood clot. The plaques that develop in atherosclerosis would rupture, causing a blood clot. The clot would possibly block an artery and result in abrupt, severe myocardial ischemia, resulting in a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Rarely, a blood clot might travel to the coronary artery from elsewhere in the body.
- A coronary artery spasm may trigger angina. This temporary stiffening of the muscles within the artery wall would concisely decrease or perhaps stop blood flow to a part of the heart muscle (myocardium). Coronary artery spasm is an uncommon reason behind myocardial ischemia, but might lead to a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
Chest pain related to myocardial ischemia are often triggered by:
- Physical exertion
- Emotional stress
- Cold temperatures
- Cocaine use
- Eating a heavy or large meal
- Sexual intercourse
Symptoms Of Myocardial Ischemia
Many patients with myocardial ischemia (silent ischemia) have little or no symptoms of the disease.
When they do occur, the foremost common is chest pressure or pain, typically on the left side of the body (angina pectoris). Other signs and symptoms — which could be underwent most usually by women, older people and people with diabetes — include:
- Neck or jaw pain
- Shoulder or arm pain
- A fast heart beat
- Shortness of breath when you are physically active
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sweating
- Fatigue
Myocardial Ischemia Risk Factors
Conditions that would increase the likelihood of myocardial ischemia typically involve:
- Tobacco. Smoking and long-drawn exposure to secondhand smoke would injure the inside walls of arteries. The injury might enable deposits of cholesterol and various substances to gather and slow blood flow within the coronary arteries. Smoking causes the coronary arteries to spasm and may also increase the risk of blood clots.
- Diabetes. Type one and type two diabetes are connected to a magnified risk of myocardial ischemia, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and other heart problems.
- High blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure would accelerate atherosclerosis, leading to injury to the coronary arteries.
- High blood cholesterol level. Cholesterol is thus a major part of the deposit that might be slender your coronary arteries. A high level of “bad” (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) cholesterol in your blood could also be because of a genetic condition or a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol.
- High blood triglyceride level. Another form of blood fat, triglycerides, can also lead to atherosclerosis.
- Obesity. Diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure are linked to obesity.
- Waist circumference. A waist measure of over 35 inches (89 centimeters) for women and 40 inches (102 cm) in men will increase the chance of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Complete absence of physical activity. Not obtaining enough exercise contributes to chubbiness and is connected to higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels. People who get regular cardiopulmonary exercise have much better and sound heart health, that relates to a lower risk of myocardial ischemia and heart failure (myocardial infarction). Blood pressure is also lessened by exercise.
Diagnosis Of Myocardial Ischemia
Your doctor will start by asking questions about your medical history and with a physical exam. Accordingly, your physician might advise thereafter:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG). Electrodes hooked up to your skin record the electrical activity of your heart. Certain changes in your heart’s electrical activity could also be a symptom of heart damage.
- Stress test. While you walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle, the cardiac rhythm, blood pressure and breathing are observed. Exercise makes your heart pump harder and rapidly than usual, thus a stress test will observe heart issues which may not be noticeable otherwise.
- Echocardiogram. Sound waves directed at your heart from a wand-like device control to your chest turn out video imagery of your heart. An echocardiogram will enable to determine whether or not a section of your heart has been damaged and is not pumping normally.
- Stress echocardiogram. A stress echocardiogram is comparable to any general echocardiogram, except the test is done after you exercise in the doctor’s office on a treadmill or stationary bike.
- Nuclear cardiac stress testing. Small amounts of radioactive material are injected into your bloodstream. The doctor will monitor as it streams through your heart and lungs when you’re exercising — making it easier to detect blood flow issues.
- Coronary angiography. A dye is infused in your heart’s blood vessels. Then a series of X-ray impressions or plates (angiograms) is taken, showing the dye’s path. This test gives your doctor a detailed look at the inside of your blood vessels.
- Cardiac CT Scan. This test can determine if you have a buildup of calcium in your coronary arteries — a sign of coronary atherosclerosis. The heart, arteries can even be seen by employing CT scanning (coronary CT angiogram).
Treatment Of Myocardial Ischemia
The goal of myocardial ischemia treatment is to enhance blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor might suggest medications, surgery or both of them.
Medications For Myocardial Ischemia
Medications to treat myocardial ischemia include:
- Aspirin. A daily aspirin or other blood thinner can reduce your risk of blood clots, which might help prevent blockage of your coronary arteries. Ask your doctor before setting out to take aspirin as a result of it would not be applicable if you have got a hemorrhage disorder or if you are already taking another blood diluent.
- Nitrates. These medicines broaden the arteries, increasing the flow of blood from and to your heart. Better blood flow suggests that your heart does not need to work as hard.
- Beta blockers. These medications could help to relax your cardiac muscle (myocardium), slow your heartbeat and mitigate blood pressure to make it easier for blood to flow to your heart.
- Calcium channel blockers. These kinds of medicines stimulate and broaden your blood vessels, continuing to increase the heart’s blood flow. Calcium channel blockers additionally slow your pulse and lessen the burden on your heart.
- Medicines for significantly lowering of the cholesterol. These medications decrease the prime material that deposits in the coronary arteries.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These medications could help to relax blood vessels and lower the blood pressure. Your doctor would possibly suggest an Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor if you have got high blood pressure or diabetes additionally to myocardial ischemia. ACE inhibitors might also be used if you have got coronary failure or if your heart does not pump blood effectively.
- Ranolazine (Ranexa). This medication helps relax your coronary arteries to ease angina. Ranolazine could also be prescribed with different angina medications, such as calcium channel blockers, beta blockers or nitrates.
Procedures to improve blood flow:
Sometimes, more-aggressive treatment is required to enhance blood flow. Procedures that may help include:
- Angioplasty and vascular stenting. A long, skinny tube (catheter) is inserted into the narrowed a part of your artery. A wire with a small balloon is woven into the narrowed space and inflated to widen the artery. A small wire mesh coil (stent) is typically inserted to stay the artery open.
- Coronary artery bypass surgery. A surgeon uses a vessel from some other parts of your body to produce a skin graft which enables blood to flow freely around the obstructed or narrowed coronary artery. This type of Open-heart surgery is typically used only for those patients who have numerous narrowed coronary arteries.
- Enhanced external counterpulsation. This noninvasive patient treatment may be counseled if alternative treatments haven’t worked. Cuffs that wrap around your legs are gently inflated with air then deflated. The ensuing pressure on your blood vessels will improve blood flow to the heart.
Lifestyle and home remedies:
Changes in lifestyle are a major part of treatment. Considering a healthier lifestyle in the heart:
- Quit smoking now! Consult about quitting approaches for smoking with your physician. Try and avoid secondhand smoke as well.
- Manage underlying health conditions. Treat diseases or conditions that may increase your risk of myocardial ischemia, like diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
- Eat a healthy and well balanced diet. Limit saturated fat and eat lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Know your cholesterol numbers and do ask your doctor if you have reduced them to the suggested level.
- Exercise. Seek advice from your doctor concerning the beginning a secure exercise attempt to improve blood flow to your heart.
- Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, seek advice from your doctor regarding weight-loss options.
- Decrease stress and anxiety. Practice healthy techniques for managing stress, like muscle relaxation and deep respiration.
It’s imperative to have regular checkups and screenings. Some of the major risk factors for myocardial ischemia – high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes – don’t have any symptoms within the early stages. Early detection and treatment will set the stage for a lifespan of a healthier heart condition.
Complications Of Myocardial Ischemia
Myocardial ischemia can lead to serious complications, including:
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction). That when a coronary artery is absolutely obstructed, a lack of oxygen and blood can result in a cardiac arrest (myocardial infarction) damaging portion of the cardiac muscle (myocardium). The impact could be severe and lethal at times.
- Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Any unusual cardiac rhythm might compromise the heart and endanger your life.
- Heart failure (myocardial infarction). Repeated ischemic episodes could result in cardiac failure (myocardial infarction) over time.
Prevention Of Myocardial Ischemia
In the first place, the same lifestyle choices which can effectively treat myocardial ischemia might also help to prevent it from developing. Having led a way of living that is healthy for the heart will help maintain the arteries healthy, flexible and smooth, allowing optimum blood flow.
