What artery in the heart is the widow-maker?

The widow-maker is a massive heart attack that occurs when the left anterior descending artery (LAD) is totally or almost completely blocked. The critical blockage in the artery stops, usually a blood clot, stops all the blood flow to the left side of the heart, causing the heart to stop beating normally.

What are the chances of surviving a Widowmaker heart attack?

A heart attack from a blockage in the main artery that goes down the front of the heart, known as the widowmaker, is often the most fatal. According to the American Heart Association, the survival rate following a widowmaker heart attack is only 12% when it occurs outside of a hospital or advanced care center.

Why do they call it the widow-maker artery?

The LAD artery carries fresh blood into the heart so that the heart gets the oxygen it needs to pump properly. If it’s blocked, the heart can stop very fast — which is why this type of heart attack is called a “widowmaker.”

How do you detect a Widowmaker blockage?

You can prevent the widowmaker by making key lifestyle changes (and we’ll get to those) but the best way to get checked is with a regular cardiac scan to assess your coronary calcium score. This test assesses the amount of calcium deposits in the heart and a high score may indicate a potential plaque build up.

Can you put a stent in the Widowmaker?

A long-term Korean study found stents as safe as open heart surgery in treating blockages of a coronary artery known as the widowmaker, showing that stented patients did not run a significantly higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Is 90 heart blockage serious?

Severe heart blockage is typically that in the greater than 70% range. This degree of narrowing is associated with significantly reduced blood flow to the heart muscle and can underlie symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath.

What are the signs of a widow maker heart attack?

A widow maker heart attack has the same symptoms as any other heart attack. They can be difficult to spot for sure, because they can vary from person to person. The most common signs include: chest pain, tightness, heaviness, pain or a burning feeling in your chest.

What is a cardiac Widow Maker?

Widow maker. Widow maker is a nickname used to describe a highly stenotic left main coronary artery or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart. This term is used because if the artery gets abruptly and completely occluded it will cause a massive heart attack that will likely lead to a sudden death.

What is a widow maker heart condition?

A widow maker is an informal term for a heart attack. It involves 100 percent blockage in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. As heart attacks go, a widowmaker can be particularly lethal because of the location and extent of the blockage. It stifles oxygen, which can trigger an abnormal heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation.

What is Widowmaker artery?

A widowmaker is an informal term for a heart attack that involves 100 percent blockage in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, says Stanley Chetcuti, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center.