Long Terms Effects and Complications
The severity of the complications from a heart attack depend on how much of the heart muscle is damaged when the blood supply is cut off. If only a small part of the muscle is damaged a correspondingly small patch of scar tissue is formed, and the heart can usually still function normally afterwards.1 If a larger area of the heart is affected a heart attack can be potentially fatal unless treated quickly. If treatment is sought promptly it’s possible to make a full recovery and resume normal life after completing rehabilitation.2
After you’ve suffered a heart attack, your health will be closely monitored to avoid the risk of complications. These can be divided into complications occurring immediately after the heart attack, and those occurring in the following months or years.
Immediate complications
These include:2
- Arrhythmias: Irregular heart rhythms
- Cardiogenic shock: A sudden drop in blood pressure causing your heart to be unable to pump enough blood to your organs
- Hypoxaemia: Low oxygen levels in your blood
- Pulmonary oedema: Fluid build up in and around your lungs
- Deep vein thrombosis: A blood clot in the deep veins within your legs or pelvis, which can cause the flow of blood in your veins to stop
- Myocardial rupture: Damage to the heart wall, which may, in serious cases, cause the heart wall to rupture
- Ventricular aneurysm: A swelling in one of the heart chambers
Long term complications
Long term complications can include:2
- Aneurysms: A swelling or bulging in the artery wall
- Pericarditis: Inflammation of the heart lining that causes chest pain
- Angina: Chest pain caused by a shortage of oxygen to the heart
- Congestive heart failure: If a large part of your heart is damaged, it may be unable to beat powerfully enough to function properly and supply your body with enough blood containing oxygen and nutrients
- Oedema: A build up of fluid in your ankles and legs
- Depression: As a result of the inability to live a normal life or earn an income
- Loss of sex drive or erectile dysfunction: Some men may find it difficult to have sex after a heart attack, even though doing so does not increase your risk of having another heart attack
- Another heart attack: A further heart attack is more likely if the coronary arteries are badly affected by a build up of plaque from coronary artery disease5
- Enlarged heart: If you’ve had a heart attack, the damaged heart muscle may result in the heart expanding in order to beat more efficiently6
