People who suffered a heart attack usually have coronary artery disease. This is a condition that causes the arteries that supply the heart with blood to become narrow and stiff due to cholesterol deposits on the inner lining of the vessels. When this occurs, blood clots are formed, and they eventually lead to permanent blockage of the coronary artery. The part of the heart that is supplied by the blocked artery fails to receive blood, causing the heart’s muscle to die. One of the treatment paths is a type of therapy that aims to destroy the blood clots that cause such blockage.
What are thrombolytics?
Thrombolytics are clot-buster drugs. Their main purpose is to dissolve blood clots that might be formed inside a person’s major arteries, therefore preventing any life-threatening consequences. They are used in different scenarios, such as:
- When a person has suffered a stroke because of a blockage in one of the brain’s arteries.
- When a person has suffered a heart attack due to a blockage in the coronary arteries.
- When a person has a pulmonary embolism, because of a blockage in the arteries of the lungs.
- In cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) caused by a blockage in the veins of the leg.
- For patients that have leg ischemia, due to blocked arteries in the legs.
- In cases of blocked leg ischemia, or surgical bypass blockage.
What to expect from thrombolytics
Thrombolytics are generally administered in one of two ways — through a catheter or an IV line. In the case of people who have suffered a heart attack, stroke, or a pulmonary embolism, the administration method is systemic, which means that you will receive treatment through an IV line.
The doctor or nurse will puncture a visible vein and insert the IV. You will be lying on a hospital bed, while your lung and heart functions are being monitored. The drug will enter your bloodstream and travel through the vein until it reaches the clot.
People who require thrombolytic therapy have great chances of having their blood flow restored to the heart. Before administering this kind of therapy, doctors will run a series of tests on the patient, while also considering other risk factors that can help determine whether someone is a suitable candidate or not. Important factors, such as age, gender, and medical history, are all taken into consideration.
Doctors may choose to avoid this kind of therapy if the patient has recently had surgery, if they have bleeding problems, if they’ve suffered trauma, if their blood pressure is too high, or if they’re pregnant.
Risks of thrombolytic therapy
Clot busters are known to have the potential to increase a person’s risk of bleeding. While this is not a common occurrence, it’s important to note that about five percent of patients who are on thrombolytic therapy will experience major bleeding. There is also a one percent chance of brain bleeding. If such a thing should occur, the treatment will be stopped immediately.
Bleeding may occur at one of the puncture sites (the spot where the vein was punctured to insert the IV line), but there are other forms of bleeding, such as heavy vaginal bleeding, blood in the stool or urine, or nosebleeds.
Another risk worth mentioning is embolization. Since thrombolytic therapy dissolves blood clots, it can break it into small pieces which can further travel in the affected organ, making health matters worse.
After thrombolytic therapy
Once your clot buster therapy is complete, the doctor will take a look at your symptoms once more. You will most likely be required to participate in several tests, including an echocardiogram or a CT scan. These tests are meant to check for any blood clot residue and to determine the efficiency of the thrombolytic therapy.
You will also be given treatment for the condition that led to blood clot formations in the first place. For example, people who have experienced a heart attack due to a blood clot blockage in the coronary arteries will most likely have to be treated for cholesterol or high blood pressure. It is also likely that you will need another intervention for the blockage, such as coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery.
Treatment for blood clots also consists of anticoagulants, which are a type of medication that thins the blood. One must also take into account the possibility that even after clot buster therapy, a blood clot can form in the same vessel again at a later time. To prevent that, doctors may choose to treat their patients through a more aggressive approach, in order to treat the underlying causes that caused the clot in the first place, as it’s important to try and save the damaged organs and tissues.
Conclusion
Clot buster therapy is usually an immediate form of treatment that can dissolve a blood clot in patients suffering from heart attacks and strokes. While the method has proven to be efficient, thrombolytic therapy might also require other types of medical intervention, to make sure that the remainder of the clot doesn’t cause any further damage. This type of therapy involves inserting an IV into a vein in the arm, all while the patient is in the intensive care unit. This is important because the heart and lungs need to be monitored throughout the process.
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