Acute Myocardial Infarction Case Study

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Recommended: Treatment of myocardial infarction

Name of deceased: Loretta Elizabeth Harris
Age: 51
Date of Birth: September 12, 1950
Date of Death: February 16, 2012
Place of Death: Residence
Cause of death: Acute myocardial infarction; Coronary artery disease
1. Etiology - Acute myocardial infarction is simply the medical term for a heart attack. Acute myocardial infarction occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked causing tissue damage in the heart. This usually occurs within the coronary arteries. In this case,the patient suffered from coronary artery disease, which will be described later on in the text. Acute myocardial infarction is very serious and the patient should be taken to the hospital immediately. This blockage can cause major damage to the heart and could possibly …show more content…

Diagnosis – When diagnosing an acute myocardial infarction, the doctor will take a close look at family history which place a very important role in the individual’s health. If there is a history of high blood pressure or diabetes, then the chances of the patient experiencing another heart attack or very high. The doctor will also check for high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, obesity, and smoking habits. Age also plays an important factor when forming a diagnosis. The older the age of a person, the more likely they are to have experienced an acute myocardial infarction. The doctor will check for an irregular heart beat and perform a series of test to determine the severity of the heart attack. Some of these test may include: a stress test to study the reaction of the heart under difficult situations, an angiogram to search for blocked areas, and an echocardiogram to look for the areas of the heart that are struggling to work …show more content…

Treatment – There are many different ways to treat a heart attack. In many cases, the patient is suffering extreme pain and an angioplasty will be performed to help unblock the arteries of the heart. A catheter will be used and inserted into the heart to remove the blocked and regain blood flow back to the heart. Veins and arteries may need to be rerouted in order for the blood to flow properly and in this case, the doctor will perform a coronary artery bypass graft. Many different medications can also be used to treat a heart attack. Some of these medication include blood thinners such as aspirin to allow the blood to squeeze between the blockage in the arteries better. Thrombolytics are also a good medication that will dissolve clots in the blood. Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet drug to prevent a blood clot from ever existing. Nitroglyserin widens the otherwise narrow blood vessels allowing easier access for the blood to

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