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A “widowmaker” heart attack is caused by a blockage in the left anterior descending artery, which can lead to heart failure or fatal arrhythmias. Treatment focuses on restoring blood flow, but prevention through a healthy lifestyle is key.
The term “widowmaker” refers to a specific type of heart attack that is known to have serious consequences. It is so called because those who suffer from it often die, and thus the wives of affected men often become widows. The condition is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel called the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, which normally supplies the heart muscle. Although patients who develop this condition can be treated, some develop heart failure or fatal heart arrhythmias despite these therapies.
For the heart to work properly, it needs a sufficient amount of fresh blood. A number of vessels, called coronary arteries, supply the heart muscle with the energy and oxygen it needs to survive. Different parts of the heart are supplied by different vessels; for example, the anterior wall of the heart is supplied by a blood vessel called the left anterior descending artery, and the lower part of the heart is supplied by the right coronary artery. If one of these blood vessels becomes blocked, a patient suffers a heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, because the heart does not get enough blood and cannot function properly.
Heart attacks can be caused by blockages in any of several arteries that supply the heart. Stopping the flow of the LAD artery causes symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, fainting, nausea and vomiting. Patients develop these symptoms because the heart is not getting enough oxygen and cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Blockage of this artery causes significant symptoms because it supplies blood to a chamber of the heart called the left ventricle, which is responsible for pumping blood from the lungs and to the aorta, which distributes it to the rest of the body.
Many patients who experience a widow maker will have significant health problems as a result. Some patients develop acute heart failure and die because the rest of the body cannot be supplied with freshly oxygenated blood. Other patients develop cardiac arrhythmias, which means that the heart does not pump in a coordinated manner and is therefore ineffective. Although cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can stop these arrhythmias in some cases, it is not always successful.
Treatment focuses on trying to restore blood flow to the heart, and there are generally two different approaches to achieving this. Patients may be given intravenous medications that break up blood clots. Alternatively, cardiologists can remove the clot by inserting a wire into the blood vessels that feed the heart muscle and reopen the blocked blood vessel.
When it comes to widow’s heart attacks, prevention of this often devastating condition is key. Patients at risk are advised to follow low-fat diets, exercise regularly and avoid smoking cigarettes. Those diagnosed with high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels should take medications to control these diseases. Diabetes mellitus is also considered a risk factor for this condition and patients with this disease should work to control blood glucose levels.
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