Grandfather had a heart attack...?

Question

And now apparently part of his heart is dead. What happens now? Does he need a bypass surgery and whatever laser treatment they do on your heart? If he doesnt get it treated (Because they dont exactly live in financial heaven... They cant even afford medical care for my uncle's broken finger...) what will happen? Will he die? He's 67, smokes at least two packs a day, eats fatty foods all of the time, and at night he suddenly stops breathing then starts in like 20 seconds...

Oh and he's been smoking since he was 15.

Answer 1

I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. Unfortunately dead tissue is dead tissue and even if you run a new blood supply to it by bypass surgery, it will not come back to life.

That said, your heart is a pretty hardy organ. Usually after a heart attack it is a little early to know what exactly is dead and what is just stunned from the trauma of the heart attack. In 4 to 6 weeks a follow up echocardiogram will be helpful in knowing where he stands in relation to heart function (wall motion abnormalities and ejection fraction are the buzz words here)

You grandfather has lived a life time of doing pretty much everything medical people recommend that you NOT do...and no surprise, there has been a major consequence.

Immediate treatment will be determine by a cardiac catheterization, which should identify any culprit blockages in the arteries that feed the heart. Angioplasty (balloon and stent to open blockages) or clot busting medications are often the primary intervention. If there are multiple severe blockages or blockages in very critical positions then a bypass is recommended. Often in the midst of a heart attack, the culprit will be fixed and plans are set to fix other problems later when things are more stable.

Your grandfather if he lives in the U.S. qualifies for medicare and this should cover the vast majority of major costs involved with his care and a chunk of his medications.

Your grandfather has a choice now...and its drastic. He needs to get rid of the cigarettes and start living a healthier life or he is destined to be an invalid with a short life expectancy. No more, "I'll quit tomorrow." Tomorrow is here.

Finally, you describe sleep apnea. It is an important condition to get evaluated and treated. It can cause a host of problems - some very serious with the heart and lungs and blood pressure. It is a little bit down on his immediate priorities but does need some attention in the next six months or so.

I hope this helps. Bottom line is that a lot of people seem to do just fine, even after a severe heart attack - provided they change their habits and listen to what their doctor advises. Those who throw out the medication and ignore other advice, do very poorly.

Answer 2

Everything depends on how much cardiac tissue died from the M.I.if it was a mild heart attack he could go for another twenty years, however if it was moderate or severe he will develop symptoms that will indicate appropriate treatment by his doctor.Finally I will say the first thing he has to do is stop smoking or there will be nothing anybody can do for him when he reaches a critical stage with cardiac problems.