A 56-year-old man had epigastric abdominal pain for three months and thought he had a stomach illness. Then he had chest pain and difficulty breathing. The doctor determined he had an acute myocardial infarction.
On November 1, Doctor 1 Le Van Tuyen, Department of Cardiology and Vascular Intervention, CIH Hospital, said that a coronary angiogram with a DSA machine recorded simultaneous blockage of two coronary artery branches feeding the heart on the right and left. on the left, 99% stenosis. Interventional doctors placed stents to re-open both blocked coronary branches one by one, saving the patient from the risk of death.
After the intervention, the patient’s health stabilized and his abdominal pain and chest pain went away. Before being admitted to the hospital, he had a dull abdominal pain in the epigastric area, then the pain gradually spread to his chest and shoulders, then severe angina and difficulty breathing.
Doctor 1 Le Van Tuyen examines a patient. Image: Ngo Hien
According to doctor Tuyen, this is a very special case of myocardial infarction, because the symptoms are not typical. Instead of having a lot of pain in the chest area, patients have pain mainly in the epigastric abdomen, back and shoulders, easily leading to incorrect diagnoses. The patient had two main blood vessel branches of the heart simultaneously blocked, so the intervention was very complicated.
“This shows the importance of regular health check-ups and not ignoring any symptoms, no matter how small,” the doctor said, adding that with myocardial infarction (heart stroke), getting Identifying symptoms early and intervening promptly can save a patient’s life.
The disease can occur suddenly, but there are warning symptoms such as angina. Patients often feel pain and heaviness in the chest, spreading to the back, neck, chin, shoulders or arms. The pain usually lasts more than 15 minutes and does not subside with rest or medication.
In addition, accompanying symptoms include fatigue, nervousness, shortness of breath and sweating. In the elderly, women or people with diabetes, symptoms may not be obvious. They may only experience shortness of breath, altered mental status, fainting, or blood pressure dropping below 90/60 mmHg, without typical signs of chest pain.
Doctors recommend that everyone have regular health screenings every 6 months to a year to detect potential diseases early, especially myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease. People with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, diabetes… need good control and treatment. Do not arbitrarily stop taking medicine when your health is fine, do not buy medicine according to old prescriptions. Have an active lifestyle, limit alcohol, do not smoke, and do not use stimulants. Eat in moderation, increase green vegetables and fresh fruits, reduce salt, and reduce fat. Exercise daily. Avoid excessive and prolonged stress.