Doctors in the emergency room treat heart attacks with a variety of medications. The number of pills and drips can be scary and overwhelming. It may seem that you are literally being fed with pills. A familiarity with these names may alleviate some of the anxiety. Below is a list of commonly prescribed medications used in the emergency room and once admitted to the hospital.
When choosing medication to treat a heart attack your doctor weighs the risks and benefits of each. The goal of this treatment is to both decrease the heart’s demand for energy and to increase blood flow through the blocked coronary artery.
Decreasing the Heart’s Demand
Blood pressure and heart rate need to be lowered if you are having a heart attack. High blood pressure creates extra stress for the heart to push against and a fast heart rate uses lots of energy. Beta blockers are medications used to decrease heart rate and blood pressure. These can be given through an intravenous (IV) line or by mouth.
Common Beta-Blockers
Oxygen is used via nose plugs or a facemask if you are having a heart attack. This is useful if breathing is difficult or the amount of oxygen in the blood is low. In rare cases a breathing machine, or respirator may be necessary to support breathing function.
Increasing Blood Flow Through a Blocked Artery
The platelets are a major component of blood clots which can block the coronary artery in a heart attack. Aspirin is used to decrease blood clotting. It works by preventing platelets from sticking together. Plavix (clopidogrel) is an additional platelet blocker given to those having a heart attack. Both aspirin and plavix are pills given by mouth. Clotting inhibitors called heparin, enoxaparin (Lovenox), and 2B3A agents are given via the IV and can help prevent the blockage from getting worse.
A statin, or cholesterol pill, is often given to those having a heart attack. This too can stabilize a blockage and prevent it from getting worse.
Common Statins
Chest pain can be decreased with nitroglycerine. This is given in a variety of ways, a dissolving pill under the tongue, a paste on the chest, or via the IV. Nitroglycerine helps dilate the coronary arteries allowing more blood to flow through. Morphine is another medication to control chest discomfort and ease anxiety.
You may have noticed that the above medications work to stabilize a blockage. They are not very effective in removing one that has already formed. This job is done by “clot buster” medications or thrombolytics. T-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) and similar medicines can break apart a blockage and restore blood flow. Alternatively, this can be done with a balloon and stent procedure by a cardiologist.
Medication Risks
Every medication has both risks and benefits. For example, beta-blockers are important in controlling blood pressure and heart rate but can lead severely decreased blood pressure (hypotension) or heart rate (bradycardia). They can also cause wheezing in some people prone to asthma. The platelet blocking agents, like aspirin, and the clot buster medication can cause bleeding.