הדרכה למטופל לאחר אוטם שריר הלב - צנתור התערבותי -אנגלית

Dear patient,

We'd like to direct your attention to some important points which can influence your recovery and the quality of your life, before discharging you from the hospital following, your heart attack.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

The Heart Institute Staff

General background:

When there is a narrowing in one or more of the heart's arteries, usually because of an accumulation of fats and calcium on the artery walls i.e. atherosclerosis, the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is reduced, and the heart and its function are damaged. This condition is known as ischemic heart disease ("ischemia"). (1)

 infarction, a heart attack. The specific area of heart muscle which is deprived of blood is damaged, may undergo necrosis and scar. The scarred area loses the ability to contract and pump blood out to all parts of the body.

In order to improve blood flow through the narrowed artery, or restore blood flow through a blocked artery, your doctor may have performed a catheterization. A catheter(2), a thin, flexible tube which has an inflatable balloon at the tip, is threaded into the narrowed or clogged artery.

The balloon is inflated (3) to widen the narrowed area and allow blood to flow through.