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What Does An Abnormal EKG Report Indicate?
Question: Hello, My partner had a silent heart attack 3 months ago and we just found out now. He went in for a routine stress test and had an abnormal EKG result. He was checked in to the ICU immediately where they performed an angiogram which confirmed 100% blockage in one coronary artery and 80% in another (I can't remember the names of which ones, but the doctor called the 80% blocked artery the "life artery."). They placed two metal stints in the 80% blocked artery. An MRI was performed and the doctors told us the 100% blocked artery (which was solid plaque blocked, 2cm long) had cut off blood supply for too long and the heart tissue was dead. They said there was no point in unblocking it now; no sense in routing blood to dead tissue. However, they said the heart will still pumping good and they are not concerned. He will continue to have follow ups every 3 months for the first year and then every 6 months after that. He was a smoker for 15 years, but otherwise healthy. We both eat very healthy (homecooked, organic meals and lots of veggies); his blood pressure and cholesterol are good, so we are both in shock about this. My question is, with the new medication and some lifestyle changes (no smoking, medication, no high intensity sports), what are the chances he will have a long life (i.e. as long as someone who didn't have a heart attack at 40)? Is he at increased risk for another heart attack? Thank you in advance for your help.
Brief Answer:
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello Ma'am
After going through the medical details provided by you of your husband I can very well understand your concern for his health.
Here I would like to tell you that we are really fortunate that he is alright even after having such a critical coronary artery disease for God knows how long. Soo don't worry god is with us.
With regular follow ups with the doctor and with strict adherence to the medicine schedule, healthy diet and regular exercises and NO SMOKING he will have normal healthy life just like any other individual with an attack.
Yes he is prone to develop coronary artery disease but with regular follow up on time that won't be an issue.
I hope this information will relieve your worries.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello Ma'am
After going through the medical details provided by you of your husband I can very well understand your concern for his health.
Here I would like to tell you that we are really fortunate that he is alright even after having such a critical coronary artery disease for God knows how long. Soo don't worry god is with us.
With regular follow ups with the doctor and with strict adherence to the medicine schedule, healthy diet and regular exercises and NO SMOKING he will have normal healthy life just like any other individual with an attack.
Yes he is prone to develop coronary artery disease but with regular follow up on time that won't be an issue.
I hope this information will relieve your worries.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Hi Dr. XXXXXXX Partap,
Thank you for your response. I have a couple of follow up questions. I am an engineer and I work with fatigue of materials, so forgive my analogy here as it may be completely off. Because part of the heart muscle died, due to being cut off from blood flow too long, do we need to worry about the part of the heart that remains becoming fatigued early in life? Will it be working harder to pump the same amount of blood? And if so, is heart failure a concern in his future?
Thank you, XXXXXXX
Thank you for your response. I have a couple of follow up questions. I am an engineer and I work with fatigue of materials, so forgive my analogy here as it may be completely off. Because part of the heart muscle died, due to being cut off from blood flow too long, do we need to worry about the part of the heart that remains becoming fatigued early in life? Will it be working harder to pump the same amount of blood? And if so, is heart failure a concern in his future?
Thank you, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Human body is a marvellous machine which have the abilities to compensate so when a organ or a part of the organ fails the rest of the organ takeover the workload by making few changes in its structures like by increasing the number of cells or by increasing the size of existing cells.
However your concern is not wrong, failure can be a complication at a later stage but if we follow our healthy routine and stick with good medical treatment things will surely be in our favour.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Human body is a marvellous machine which have the abilities to compensate so when a organ or a part of the organ fails the rest of the organ takeover the workload by making few changes in its structures like by increasing the number of cells or by increasing the size of existing cells.
However your concern is not wrong, failure can be a complication at a later stage but if we follow our healthy routine and stick with good medical treatment things will surely be in our favour.
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Hi Dr XXXXXXX
I appreciate your helpful responses to my questions. My last follow up question for you is, as his spouse, what can I be doing to help with his healthy routine? Should I be encouraging more walking? Additionally, he works long hours (usually 12+ hours per day), should I be encouraging him to work less? There is no way to measure work stress, so I am not sure how to help him tell when he has been working too much. What other additional lifestyle changes would you recommend we make? Thank you so much for all your help.
Kind regards, XXXXXXX
I appreciate your helpful responses to my questions. My last follow up question for you is, as his spouse, what can I be doing to help with his healthy routine? Should I be encouraging more walking? Additionally, he works long hours (usually 12+ hours per day), should I be encouraging him to work less? There is no way to measure work stress, so I am not sure how to help him tell when he has been working too much. What other additional lifestyle changes would you recommend we make? Thank you so much for all your help.
Kind regards, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Hello Again
Detailed Answer:
First of all I would like to apologise for the delayed response as I was occupied with some stuff.
As his partner your duty us to make sure that he should eat healthy like avoid too much of oily and deep fried food stuff, junk food, canned food, make him eat fresh fruits and freshly cooked vegetables, cut his dietary salt intake.
SMOKING is prohibited.
Daily morning walks for 45 mins a day for 5 days a week is recommended even if he work for more than 12 hrs.
And finally make sure that medicine intake should be strictly according to the schedule.
I hope this information will answer your query
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Hello Again
Detailed Answer:
First of all I would like to apologise for the delayed response as I was occupied with some stuff.
As his partner your duty us to make sure that he should eat healthy like avoid too much of oily and deep fried food stuff, junk food, canned food, make him eat fresh fruits and freshly cooked vegetables, cut his dietary salt intake.
SMOKING is prohibited.
Daily morning walks for 45 mins a day for 5 days a week is recommended even if he work for more than 12 hrs.
And finally make sure that medicine intake should be strictly according to the schedule.
I hope this information will answer your query
Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
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