Heart Attack Treatment in Sharjah

What is heart attack treatment?

Heart attack treatment is the care given when a blood clot blocks one of the arteries that supply the heart muscle. Every minute the artery stays blocked, more heart muscle is starved of oxygen, so treatment has two stages: restoring blood flow as fast as possible, and then protecting the heart for the long term so it recovers well and a second heart attack becomes less likely.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the emergency team assesses and treats a heart attack from the moment you arrive, and the cardiology team supports your recovery afterwards. Many heart attacks are treated by opening the blocked artery with angioplasty in a catheter laboratory; when that is needed, the team arranges urgent transfer to a hospital with a catheter laboratory. How chest pain is assessed in the first place is covered on the chest pain assessment page.

Who needs it

Heart attack treatment is for anyone whose chest pain or symptoms are confirmed as a heart attack by an ECG and blood tests. The classic sign is a heavy, crushing or tight pain in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes and may spread to the arm, jaw, neck or back, often with sweating, nausea or breathlessness.

Symptoms are often milder or different in women, older people and people with diabetes. They may notice breathlessness, nausea, pain in the jaw, back or upper stomach, or sudden unusual tiredness, with little or no chest pain. Diabetes is common in the UAE, and heart attacks in people with diabetes are easily mistaken for indigestion or fatigue, so these symptoms deserve the same urgency.

Follow-up care is also for anyone who has had a heart attack treated elsewhere, including abroad, and wants cardiology care closer to home in Sharjah.

What happens

When someone arrives with a suspected heart attack, an ECG is recorded within minutes and blood tests check for markers released by damaged heart muscle. You are attached to a monitor, given oxygen if your levels are low, and given pain relief and medicines that help stop the clot from growing.

Treatment to restore blood flow is started or arranged as quickly as possible. When the artery needs opening with angioplasty, the team stabilises you and arranges urgent transfer, with monitoring on the way, to a hospital with a catheter laboratory. The aim throughout is to shorten the time the artery stays blocked.

After the emergency phase, your cardiologist at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah reviews what happened and what treatment you received, and builds a recovery plan. This usually includes an echocardiogram to check how well the heart is pumping, a review of your medicines, blood tests for cholesterol, blood sugar and kidney function, and a plan to control each risk factor.

Preparing for it

If you think someone is having a heart attack, call emergency services straight away. Stay still and keep the person resting, sitting in a comfortable position. Unlock the front door so help can reach you, and have a list of their medicines and allergies ready for the ambulance crew. Go by ambulance whenever possible, because treatment begins on the way and the hospital is ready when you arrive.

For your follow-up appointments, bring the discharge letter and any reports from the hospital that treated you, including details of any stent or procedure, and a list of every medicine you now take. Write down your questions, including those about work, driving, exercise, fasting and intimacy, and bring a family member if you can, since they are part of your recovery.

Afterwards

Recovery after a heart attack happens over weeks and months, and most people return to a full life. Your cardiologist explains each medicine, why it matters, and how long it is needed. A cardiac rehabilitation programme, arranged as part of your care pathway, rebuilds fitness safely and helps with confidence. Stopping smoking, including shisha and vaping, controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and staying active give the heart the best protection. Feeling low, anxious or on edge after a heart attack is common, and talking about it with your doctor is part of recovery. Your cardiologist gives you a timeline for your case covering driving, work and exercise.

Call emergency services straight away if chest pain returns and lasts more than a few minutes, or if you develop severe breathlessness, fainting or a very fast or irregular heartbeat. Contact the hospital if you notice ankle swelling, breathlessness when lying flat, dizziness from your medicines, or unusual bleeding or bruising.

Cost and insurance

Emergency heart attack care is usually covered under emergency benefits by UAE health insurance plans. Transfer and treatment at another hospital follow that hospital's approval process, and the team helps coordinate the paperwork. Follow-up consultations, echocardiograms and blood tests are covered by most plans, while cardiac rehabilitation may have a session limit. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.