As soon as a heart attack begins, it is so important to get immediate medical attention. In fact, if a patient is treated soon enough, the heart attack can actually be stopped, limiting the amount of damage to the heart.

There are two main categories for the treatments used. The first are referred to as thrombolytics or “clot-busting drugs,” and they do just that - - break up any clot that is blocking a coronary artery. Examples of these drugs include tPA and streptokinase.

The second type of heart attack treatments are considered artery-opening treatments, for example a procedure known as balloon angioplasty. These artery-opening treatments clear the pathway for blood to flow through the coronary arteries.

Another treatment for heart attack is coronary artery bypass graft surgery. During this procedure, a vessel is taken from a patient’s arm, leg, or chest, and grafted onto the coronary artery. The graft, sometimes called a shunt, provides an alternate route for blood flow, around the blocked area of the artery.

The sooner that thrombolytic or other treatments are started, the more effective they will be – and the greater the chances are for survival and a good recovery.