Heart attacks are emergency situations that require the immediate attention of medical services. As a first step in treatment, you need to stop the palpitation of the heart and transport the patient by ambulance to the nearest hospital. This vastly increases the chances of survival.

Persons trained to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compression should do this to revive the dying heart muscle.

At the hospital, doctors give aspirin, as it thins the blood and prevents clotting. This is often done intravenously. In case of severe pain, painkillers are given.

On the basis of initial tests and diagnostic procedures, doctors choose between medication and surgery as treatment methods. Often, in cases of critical and severely damaged heart muscle, a combination of medication and surgery is applied.

If an experienced cardiologist is available in the hospital, angioplasty is done within two hours of the patient being admitted. It is important to do this soon. If not, thrombolytic drugs are administered. In earlier days, bypass surgery was done.

Patients are advised to refrain from work schedules and strenuous activities for around two months after surgery.

In acute cases, thrombolytic drugs are prescribed in a bid to save as much myocardium as possible. As follow-up drugs, ACE inhibitors are recommended by physicians. Patients may have to take beta blockers for a year after treatment to ensure a healthy heart.

Before the patient is discharged from the hospital, a treadmill test and angiography is performed to verify if the patient is experiencing pain. A rehabilitation course is prescribed that helps in healing the heart faster. These include lifestyle changes, medication, and tips to lead stress-free lives.