Typically, the progression of Coronary Artery Disease occurs in a continuous manner, but sometimes, the process can accelerate rapidly under conditions of stress, illness, or an increased workload on the heart. In these situations, the patient’s angina will not come on predictably, but can occur suddenly, even when sleeping. The sudden decrease in blood flow to the heart due to a ruptured cholesterol plaque, a blood clot, or rapid worsening of the stenosis is called a Myocardial Infarction, or Heart Attack. In this situation, a part of the heart muscle is severely deprived of blood and Oxygen, which causes damage to part of the heart muscle. This can be detected by an EKG and by blood testing.
When a patient suffers a Myocardial Infarction, they are at risk for weakening of the heart muscle, dangerous heart rhythm disturbances, further episodes of chest pain, and repeated Heart Attacks. These patients often benefit from a Cardiac Catheterization, along with blood thinning medications, which allow the doctor to restore blood flow to the damaged areas of the heart, while protecting the areas that are still healthy. Most often, stents are used to keep the arteries from clogging up again, called Restenosis. This procedure can effectively prevent repeated events, and many times, can prolong a patient’s life.