Preventing Sudden Death after a Heart Attack

Sudden death after heart attack or sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a death which happens unexpectedly when the heart stops working. It is also known as sudden cardiac arrest.

Symptoms are not very clear to the person himself but he might get a racing palpitation along with dizzyness. A good number of cases show no prior symptoms and the person does not come to know his deteriorating condition. SCD is actually caused by a state known as arrhythmias when the heart rhythms become abnormal. Arrythmia when caused by an unpredictable and disorganised firing of impulses from the lower chambers, known as ventricullar fibrillation, is the most life threatening. If it is not treated immediately, the person can die within minutes.

Risk Factors for SCD
History of previous heart attacks forms one of the major part among risk factors (around 75%). During first six months of a heart attack the risk is on the higher side. Coronary artery disease is another risk factor linked to SCD. Around 80-85% of SCD cases could have had coronary artery disease and this disease is the result of smoking, family history of cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.

Prevention from SCD
The above listed risk factors are enough to indicate you to go to your doctor for regular check ups. Your doctor will suggest you steps to reduce those risks. You should go for follow-up appointments with your doctor regularly and follow his advice on life style changes. Medications should be taken as prescribed and also, if adviced, should go in for surgery or any other interventional process.

Your Doctor should be your God
If you have suffered from one episode of SCA, to avoid SCD’s in future your doctor will decide upon the number of follow-up visits you should make. Certain diagnostic tests shall also be performed as adviced by him to check for the cause. ECG or EKG are the most common tests advised by cardiologists. Others include ambulatory monitoring, echocardiogram, eletrophysiology study, Ejection Fraction or cardiac catheterization. .

Changing your Life style
If you already are a patient of coronory artery disease, then certain life style changes can reduce your risk of SCD. They are :

1. Quit smoking
2. Lose weight
3. Make exercising a routine job
4. Lessen your fat intake in your diet.
5. Try to control diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. This can be done with the help of your doctor with certain medications and prescribed diet .

Medications are a must
If you already had one heart attack or had suffered arrhythmias, the doctor will keep you under some medications to reduce the risk of future SCD. ACE inhibitors are the most common medications apart from certain calcium channel and beta blockers, or any antiarrhythmics. Statin medications can be given to coronary artery disease or high cholestrol patient. The doctor gives specific instructions when you take these medications… follow them. If not understood, do not hesitate to ask. You should always remember the names of the medicines so that in emergency you do not suffer.

This information is not meant to replace medical advice. We strongly recommend that if you have any condition requiring attention that you seek advice from a qualified provider of medical services.

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