Heart Attack Treatment (cont.)
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors
Angiotensin
converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, another class of blood vessel dilators,
often are given orally after a large heart attack to improve the healing of
heart muscle. Examples of ACE inhibitors include captopril (Capoten), enalapril
(Vasotec), lisinopril (Zestril and Prinivil), and ramipril (Altace). These
medications lower the blood pressure and reduce the workload of the heart,
thereby helping the damaged heart muscle to recover. They are especially helpful
in patients who have recovered from heart attacks but have high blood pressure,
heart failure, major damage to the left ventricle, and diabetes mellitus.
For additional information, please see the ACE
Inhibitors article.
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers such as propranolol (Inderal), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol
XL), and atenolol (Tenormin)
usually are given early during a heart attack and are continued
long-term. Beta blockers antagonize the action of adrenaline and relieve stress
on the muscles of the heart. Beta-blockers decrease the workload of
the heart by slowing the heart rate and decreasing the force of contraction of
heart muscle. Decreasing the workload decreases the demand for oxygen by
the heart and limits the amount of damage to the heart muscle. Long-term administration of
beta-blockers following a heart attack has been shown to improve
survival and reduce the risk of future heart attacks. Beta-blockers also improve survival
among patients with heart attacks by decreasing the incidence of
life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, for example, ventricular fibrillation.
Beta-blockers can be given intravenously in the hospital and then can be taken
orally for long-term treatment.
The side effects of beta-blockers are wheezing
(worsening of breathing in patients with
asthma), abnormally slow heart rate,
and exacerbation of heart failure (especially in patients with significant
damage to their heart muscle); however, in patients with chronic heart failure,
beta blockers have recently been demonstrated to be helpful in decreasing
symptoms and prolonging life. For more, please read the
Beta Blocker article.
Next: Oxygen »
- ACE Inhibitors - Read about ACE inhibitors like Altace, lisinopril, enalapril, ramparil, Zestril and more. Information includes side effects, drug interactions, and pregnancy safety information.
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft - Read about heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, CABG) including how coronary artery disease is diagnosed, treated, recovery time, risks and complications, and the long term results after CABG.
- Congestive Heart Failure - Read about congestive heart failure symptoms like fatigue, abdomen, leg and ankle swelling, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, increased urination, nausea, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite.
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