Complications of a heart attack

• Racing heart (palpitations)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Fainting

• Electrocardiography (EKG, ECG)

• If no symptoms: intravenous antiarrhythmic medicines; possibly electric shock to the chest (cardioversion)
• With symptoms: electric shock (cardioversion)

• Loss of consciousness
• Absence of blood pressure
• Sudden death if not reversed

• ECG

• Electric shock to the chest (defibrillation)

Atrial fibrillation—a rapid, irregular heartbeat in the heart's upper chambers

• Racing heart (palpitations)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Fainting

• ECG

• If chest pain, breathlessness, or low blood pressure: electric shock to the chest (cardioversion) and/or medicines
• If no symptoms: intravenous medicines to slow heart rate

Recurrent chest pain because of reduced blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart

• Recurrence of angina and heart attack symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting)

• ECG

• Anticoagulant medicines, nitrates, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers
• If no response to medicines or if blockages: angioplasty/stenting or coronary artery bypass graft surgery

• Recurrence of angina and heart attack symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting)

• ECG
• Blood tests
• Echocardiography

• Anticoagulants, nitrates, beta-blockers
• Consider use of clot-dissolving (thrombolytic) medicines.
• If blockages are found: consider angioplasty/stenting or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Heart failure

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Low blood pressure
• Weak pulse
• Evidence of fluid buildup in the neck, lungs, abdomen, and ankles

• Echocardiography
• Chest X-ray
• Low blood oxygen level
• Blood tests

• ACE inhibitors, digoxin, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
• Diuretics to remove excess fluid from body
• If blockages are found: consider angioplasty/stenting or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Cardiogenic shock

• Shortness of breath
• Very low blood pressure
• Bluish skin (cyanosis)
• Confusion
• Poor kidney function

• Low blood pressure
• Weak pulse
• Chest X-ray
• Echocardiography
• pulmonary artery catheter

• Medications to increase blood pressure
• Oxygen
• Intra-aortic balloon pump
• Mechanical ventilation
• Consider heart transplant.
• Consider coronary angiography/stenting, and if indicated, bypass surgery.

Mitral valve regurgitation

• Shortness of breath
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate

• Heart murmur heard using stethoscope
• Echocardiography

• Intravenous medication to decrease the workload on heart
• Placement of intra-aortic balloon pump
• Emergency valve surgery

• Sudden drop in blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness

• Echocardiography
• Pericardial drainage

• Insert a needle through chest wall and remove blood around heart (pericardiocentesis).
• Stop all blood-thinning medicines.
• Emergency surgery to repair the ruptured heart

• Sudden heart failure
• Low blood pressure
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath

• Loud heart murmur heard using stethoscope
• Echocardiography
• Sample of right ventricle blood that reveals more oxygen than usual
• pulmonary artery catheter

• Intravenous medicine to decrease the workload on heart
• Placement of intra-aortic balloon pump to pump blood forward
• Emergency surgery to repair hole in ventricular septum and coronary bypass surgery, if needed.

Pericarditis

• Sharp chest pain made worse by breathing, coughing, or changing position

• Rubbing sound heard with stethoscope
• ECG
• Echocardiography

• Oral anti-inflammatory medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen
• Oral steroid medicines can be used if symptoms persist.

• Symptoms of stroke
• Loss of circulation to an extremity or organ

• Echocardiography
• CT scan

• Anticoagulant medicine in hospital
• Warfarin (such as Coumadin) as an outpatient

Heart block

• Lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath with exertion
• Fainting
• Seizures

• ECG

• Medication to increase heart rate
• Temporary or permanent pacemaker