Ischemia is the leading
cause of death worldwide and myocardial infarction (MI) causes well
over 12 million deaths per year internationally. However, with better
detection and treatments, morbidity and mortality of this disease
has been lessened.  This article provides a sweeping overview of treatment options.

Early treatment include
clot bursting drugs and ballooning the arteries open. Medication used
for treatment for angina pain includes nitrates, beta-blockers and
calcium channel blockers. These drugs are either to increase or
decrease the amount of blood that gets to the heart. Nitroglycerin,
a type of nitrate is not only used for patients that has suffered a
myocardial infarction within the first 24 hours, but also prescribed
for certain cases of ischemic angina, uncontrolled hypertension and
heart failure (Landmark & Reikvam 2003).

Coronary reperfusion
therapy is done depending on the clinical condition of the patients.
The three types are coronary thrombosis, percutaneous transluminal
coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary bypass surgery. Angioplasty
is done to reduce or eliminate blockages in coronary arteries which
ultimately restore normal blood flow to the heart tissue. A review
was done to compare both thrombolytic reperfusion and angioplasty to
indicate the best treatment for myocardial infarction (Nordmann et al
2005). Angioplasty fares better than thrombosis in decreasing the
incidences of death, non-fatal MI and stroke but 50% of patients that
underwent angioplasty experience restenosis (regrowth of plaque).
Primary stenting is then done following angioplasty to keep the
arteries remain open. The authors concluded that although primary
stenting does not change mortality rate compared to those that only
underwent angioplasty, reinfaction may be lessened.

REFERENCES

Patel H, Rosengren A,
Ekman I (2004). Symptoms in acute coronary syndromes: does sex make a
difference? Am Heart J.:148(1);27-33

Landmark K, Reikvam A. (2003). Nitrate
therapy during and after acute myocardial infarction. Tidsskr Nor
Laegeforen.:123(23);3377-80

Nordmann A, Bucher H, Hengstler P, Harr
T, Young J. (2005). Primary stenting versus primary balloon
angioplasty for treating acute myocardial infarction. Cochrane
Database Syst Rev.

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