Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Myocardial Ischemia: Overview
Myocardial ischemia, sometimes called cardiac ischemia, refers to a heart condition where the heart is not getting enough blood. When this happens, heart muscles do not receive enough oxygen to work properly and cannot effectively pump blood throughout the body, according to the Texas Heart Institute.
Symptoms of Myocardial Ischemia
Sometimes, cardiac ischemia does not have any symptoms. In these cases, it is called silent ischemia.
According to the Mayo clinic, when myocardial ischemia does have symptoms, they may include:
- Angina pectoris (chest pain or pressure) in the left side of the body
- Neck or jaw pain
- Shoulder pain
- Elevated heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Sweating
Chest pain is the most prominent side effect of myocardial ischemia, with other symptoms experienced more by women, older individuals, and people who have diabetes. The chest pain may be triggered by physical activity, stress, cold temperatures, sexual intercourse, cocaine, or eating a large meal.
Cardiac Ischemia Causes
Myocardial ischemia is typically caused by a partial or complete blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels in your heart. This can be suddenly caused by a blood clot or could develop over time due to a condition like coronary artery disease and resulting atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of arteries due to a buildup of plaque).
The condition may also be caused by coronary artery spasm. This occurs when the muscles in arterial walls temporarily tighten. Although this is uncommon, coronary artery spasms can cut off blood flow to part of the heart muscle, resulting in cardiac ischemia.
Myocardial ischemia may also be associated with taking Uloric, a gout medication. In a 2017 study, Uloric was associated with an increased risk of cardiac ischemia. The drug was also associated with an increased risk of cardiac death, non-fatal heart attacks, and non-fatal strokes.
People may be at a higher risk for cardiac ischemia if they are in poor cardiac health. This includes people that have had heart attacks in the past, have coronary artery disease, suffer from diabetes, have high blood pressure, have a history of coronary artery anomalies, have cardiomyopathy, are overweight, smoke, or regularly use drugs and alcohol.
Treatment for Myocardial Ischemia
Treatment for the condition usually involves restoring blood flow to the heart, so treatment will depend on the cause.
If cardiac ischemia is caused by a blockage, medications or surgeries may be implemented to treat the condition. Surgery may include angioplasty (opening blocked arteries) or bypass surgery. If myocardial ischemia is caused by Uloric treatment, stopping the medication may be included in the treatment plan.
Making lifestyle changes and transitioning to a more heart-healthy way of living can also be important in treating and preventing myocardial ischemia and other cardiac complications.
Potential Myocardial Ischemia Complications
If left untreated, myocardial ischemia can lead to a heart attack or irregular heart rhythm due to compromised heart muscles. Repeated episodes of cardiac ischemia can also have adverse side effects including heart failure.
Uloric & Cardiac Ischemia
Some consumers argue that the risk for cardiac ischemia was not sufficiently warned by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s manufacturer. These complaints have resulted in lawsuits against the company, claiming that Takeda concealed the risks associated with Uloric and failed to manufacture a safe medication.
Additionally, a whistleblower lawsuit was filed against Takeda in 2012 by a former safety consultant with the company. According to the whistleblower, Takeda hid vital safety information about Uloric from the federal government. Documents detailing negative Uloric side effects were allegedly changed and falsified or omitted from reports completely.
