Myocardial Infarction: Pathophysiology

260 Words1 Page

Pathophysiology A myocardial infarction occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked. This blockage leads to decreased oxygenated blood flow to the heart muscle. The blockage is typically caused by a buildup of atherosclerotic plaque on the inside lining of the coronary arteries (What). If this plaque ruptures then a myocardial infarction will take place. When the plaque ruptures the immune system begins to respond by sending platelets to fight it. The problem here is that the platelets are sticky and they clot together. When platelets reach the site of the rupture they attach to it and make a blood clot. This decreases the open diameter of the coronary artery and causes less blood to reach the heart muscle. The heart muscle following

Show More
Related

  • Distinguishing Myocardial Infarction from Unstable Angina

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    Which of the following is used to distinguish the diagnosis of MI (Myocardial Infarction) from that of Unstable angina?

    Read More

  • Understanding Acute Myocardial Infarction: Symptoms and Treatments

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    The purpose for the stent was to hold the coronary artery open to allow the blood to flow more freely.

    Read More

  • Heart

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    The blood circulates through coronary arteries and then to smaller vessels into cardiac muscle (myocardium). The blood flow is influenced by aortic pressure, which increases in systole, and the pumping activity of the ventricles. When the ventricle contracts, in systole, the coronary vessels are compressed by the contracted myocardium and partly blocked by the open aortic valve therefore the blood flow through the myocardium stops.

    Read More

  • Pharmacological Treatments for Acute Coronary Syndrome

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    Atherothrombosis is the pathophysiologic hallmark of acute coronary syndrome which can lead to an acute myocardial infarction. Platelet aggregation is one of the major reasons why ACS occurs, arterial plaque builds up over time from products such as lipids, cholesterol and fibrin. The vasa vasorum

    Read More

  • Myocardial Infarction Research Paper

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    The preliminary step in myocardial infarction is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis does not occur abruptly, it is a gradual and dynamic inflammatory disease which causes the narrowing of lumen due to the deposition of lipid and foam cells. The formation of fatty streak; which will eventually become a plaque causes the vessel lumen to diminish. The plaque will become unstable, rupture and eventually lead to the event of plaque disruption.

    Read More

  • Myocardial Infarction Case Study

    4095 Words  | 9 Pages

    This assignment is a case study that aims to explore the biospychosocial impacts of a myocardial infarction on a service user. It will focus on the interventions used by healthcare professionals throughout the patient’s journey to recovery. To abide by the NMC’s code of conduct (2015) which states that all nurses owe a duty of confidentiality to all those who are receiving care, the service user used in this case study will be referred to as Julie. Julie is a 67 year old lady who was rushed to her local accident and emergency following an episode of acute chest pain and was suspected to have suffered from a myocardial infarction. Julie who lives alone reported she had been experiencing shortness of breath and

    Read More

  • Physiology Of Coronary Heart Disease

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coronary heart disease is defined by the hardening of the epicardial coronary arteries. The buildup of plaque in the arteries slowly narrows the coronary artery lumen. In order to better understand the physiology of the disease, it is important to first know the basic anatomy of the human heart. The aorta, located in the superior region of the heart, branches off into two main coronary blood vessels, otherwise known as arteries. The arteries are located on the left and right side of the heart and span its surface. They subsequently branch off into smaller arteries which supply oxygen-rich blood to the entire heart (Texas Heart Institute, 2013). Therefore, the narrowing of these arteries due to plaque buildup significantly impairs blood flow throughout the heart.

    Read More

  • Myocardial Infarction

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    In December of 1992, my paternal grandfather suffered a heart attack. He had been hauling several 50 lb. sacks of corn up into the deer feeder on his property by himself. He got into his truck, turned the ignition, put it into drive and before he could take his foot off the brake, he was dead. He was 68 years old. I was thirteen and that seemed so old. I remember that prior to the event there were many conversations within my family about the condition of my grandfather’s heart and cardiovascular system and how he needed to make lifestyle changes. I remember him taking nitroglycerine pills. I remember him coming to Dallas to go to an appointment so that they could perform tests with names like “stress EKG.” I remember that these things meant little to me at the time.

    Read More

  • Case Study Of Myocardial Infarction

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    The primary concern for Mr. Miller would be preventing further ischemia and necrosis of the myocardial tissues, preventing serious complications such as cardiac dysrhythmias and heart failure, as well as relieving his chest pain that radiates to his left arm. Preventing further ischemia and necrosis of the myocardial tissue will help prevent the development of heart failure due to myocardial infarction, whereas relieving his pain will help reduce his episodes of shortness of breath, and will also help to reduce any anxiety and restlessness he may be having from being in pain and short of breath.

    Read More

  • Coronary Heart Disease

    521 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coronary heart disease occurs when some of the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle become narrowed with fatty deposits. In this condition fatty deposits called plaque, composed of cholesterol (see later) and fats, build up on the inner wall of the coronary arteries. When arteries are narrowed, the heart is not fully supplied with the oxygen and other nutrients it needs. If an artery is completely blocked, a heart attack occurs. Heart disease is very common.

    Read More

  • The Heart Of Heart Disease

    1785 Words  | 4 Pages

    Just as breast cancer is killing our African American women, heart disease is also one of the major diseases killing our women. Heart disease is one of the nation’s leading causes of death in both woman and men. About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States (Americas heart disease burden, 2013). Some facts about heart disease are every year about 935,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 610,000 are a first heart attack victim. 325,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack. Also coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and loss of productivity. Deaths of heart disease in the United States back in 2008 killed about 24.5% of African Americans.

    Read More

  • Coronary Heart Disease Essay

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    What is coronary heart disease (CHD)? It is a disease when plaque gets built up in the coronary arteries; and the job of the arteries are to provide rich-oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. Built plaque in the arteries leads to atherosclerosis and the plaque that is built can result from over the years. Throughout the years, the plaque tends to get hard or can rupture. If hardened, the arteries are now narrow and have weakened the flow of blood that travels to the heart. Blood clots can form from the plaque rupturing which can cause a great chance for the blood flow to be mostly blocked or blocked altogether. There are other names for coronary heart disease such as coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, etc.

    Read More

  • Causes of Heart Disease

    1026 Words  | 3 Pages

    Causes of Heart Disease Heart disease or coronary heart disease (CHD) is mainly caused by Atherosclerosis. This occurs when the inner lining of your artery walls becomes furred with a thick, atheroma which is made up of fatty deposits of cholesterol, cell waste and other substances. These form raised patches on the artery wall known as 'plaques' which narrow the arteries reducing the space through which blood can flow. At the same time the blood becomes more prone to clotting. The growing plaques may block the delivery of nutrients to the artery walls, causing them to lose their elasticity.

    Read More

  • Essay On Myocardial Infarction

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Myocardial Infarction

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Myocardial infarction occurs when the coronary arteries are blocked by a blood clot. It is commonly known as “heart attack”. The heart needs its own constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to work properly. Two coronary arteries delivery oxygenated blood to the heart, and if one of these two arteries fail or become blocked, then a portion of the heart will not acquire the necessary oxygen. This clot could be because of CAD (coronary artery disease), which happens when the inner walls of the coronary arteries thicken because of build up of cholesterol, fatty deposit, calcium among other elements that are carried in the blood (Boston Scientific, 2009).

    Read More

More about Myocardial Infarction: Pathophysiology

Open Document