Essay On Myocardial Infarction

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Oxygen was first admitted to the client with chest pain over 100 years ago (Metcalfe, 2011). Chest pain is a large bracket that can contain many different conditions, but for the purpose of this analysis it is focused manly upon a myocardial infarction. A myocardial infarction is mainly referred to as a heart attack, and occurs when one or more coronary arteries leading to the heart reduce or completely stop blood flow (Tuipulotu, 2013 ). Administering high concentrations of oxygen to patients with chest pain is now embedded in guidelines, protocols and care pathways, even with a lack of clear supporting evidence (Nicholson, 2004 ). High concentration of oxygen means that up to 60% is administered (Knott, 2012). More recent research has suggested that the use of oxygen in this scenario is unnecessary and can lead to unwanted side effects, especially in normoxic cardiac patients (Moradkham & Sinoway, 2010 ). The aim of this comparative analysis is to dismantle and understand both the benefits and risks of the commonly known practice of administration of oxygen to the client with chest pain. Through completing this analysis using recent and appropriate evidence a more improved practice can be given and understood.

Oxygen is widely used in both chronic and acute cases, in emergency medicine, at hospital or by emergency medical services (Nicholson, 2004 ). Just like any other form of medication oxygen is a drug that if used incorrectly could cause potential harm, even death (Luettel, 2010 ). Oxygen is admitted to the patient with chest pain for two main rationales. The first is by increasing arterial oxygen tension, which in opposing causes a decrease to the acute ischemic injury, and thus over time the entire infarct area (Moradk...

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...o those patients with chest pain, in order to maintain oxygen saturations as close to 100%, unknowingly realizing that the patient is being exposed to significant periods of hyperoxia (Moradkham & Sinoway, 2010 ). It has been suggested that this is due to poor monitoring skills by health professionals. (Moradkham & Sinoway, 2010 ). From reading this essay it is clear that there is a high demand and need of further clinical research into the effectiveness of oxygen in the client with chest pain. More research also has to be conducted in order for the health professionals to fully understand what oxygen does to the body. Through completing and implementing more updated and reviewed evidence and research on the effect of oxygen on the client with chest pain, a better practice can be put in place to ensure the patient is receiving the best care to save their life.

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