Acute Myocardial Infarction (Nursing)

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world. The prevalence of the disease approaches three million people worldwide, with more than one million deaths in the United States annually. Acute myocardial infarction can be divided into two categories, non-ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI) and ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI). Unstable angina is similar to NSTEMI. However, cardiac markers are not elevated.An MI results in irreversible damage to the heart muscle due to a lack of oxygen. An MI may lead to impairment in diastolic and systolic function and make the patient prone to arrhythmias. In addition, an MI can lead to a number of serious complications. The key is to reperfuse the heart and restore blood flow. The earlier the treatment (less than 6 hours from symptom onset), the better the prognosis.An MI is diagnosed when two of the following criteria are met: Symptoms of ischemia New ST-segment changes or a left bundle branch block (LBBB) Presence of pathological Q waves on the ECG Imaging study showing new regional wall motion abnormality Presence of an intracoronary thrombus at autopsy or angiography