Medical science has made considerable advancements in finding treatments for various types of heart related ailments. In fact for every type of heart disease, there is a range of treatment options available. So the treating doctors choose the most appropriate set of treatments that are suitable for a particular patient, considering his overall condition.
Treatments include improvements in lifestyle and diet, medication, device implantation, and invasive surgery. Various medical treatments are basic, while some treatments require intensive use of latest technologies available.
Cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
This is a basic first-aid procedure that can save a patient’s life in case of a sudden cardiac arrest condition. If the patient is not able to breathe, and there is no heartbeat or movement in the heart either, it is critical to administer the CPR procedure on the patient. It does not require specialized skills, and any one can perform this procedure with ease. It helps to resuscitate the patient by providing artificial breathing and reviving blood circulation in the system. It helps to supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain and heart, until proper medical aid can be made available.
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
In case of a sudden cardiac arrest, the blood flow can stop, causing quick damage to the brain and heart. The AED helps to revive the blood flow by giving an electric shock to the chest, which is known as defibrillation.
Medication
Advanced medications are available that help to control and improve the condition of the heart. Especially in case of coronary heart disease, the arteries are blocked or hardened due to plaque deposits. So the medications help to make the blood thinner, improve the cholesterol levels in the blood, and control the blood pressure or relieve the constricted blood vessels.
Angioplasty and stents
Angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure under which a thin tube or a stent is used for insertion inside a blocked artery in order to open the artery and revive the blood flow to and from that artery.
Brach therapy
In some cases, after angioplasty, the re-opened artery may begin to narrow or constrict once again. Brachytherapy procedure can be used in such cases to open that artery again. It is a radiation therapy that helps to restore the blood flow in the artery.
Bypass surgery
It is also known as a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft. In this case, the surgeon creates a bypass around a blocked artery, in order to re-direct the blood flow from the newly created bypass. This is a serious, risky and time-consuming surgical procedure, but it is used commonly nowadays with high rates of success.
Heart valve surgery
In cases where one or more of the heart valves have developed a defect, it can be corrected by invasive surgery. Alternatively, balloon valvuloplasty procedure can be also applied in specific cases, which is a non-invasive procedure. Both options of treating a heart valve problem have their own pros and cons, and the choice depends upon the specific case under consideration. |