Coronary artery disease develops when your coronary arteries — the major blood vessels that supply your heart with blood, oxygen and nutrients — become damaged or diseased. When plaque builds up, it narrows your coronary arteries and decreases blood flow to your heart. Eventually, the decreased blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease signs and symptoms (Mayo Clinic, 2014). A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. Because coronary artery disease often develops over decades, it can go unnoticed until you have a heart attack (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Coronary artery disease is thought to begin with damage or injury to the inner layer of a coronary artery, sometimes as early as childhood. …show more content…
The doctor may suggest one or more diagnostic tests as well, including: electrocardiogram (ECG) which records electrical signals as they travel through your heart, echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. During an echocardiogram, your doctor can determine whether all parts of the heart wall are contributing normally to your heart 's pumping activity. A stress test will be conducted by walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike during an ECG. In some cases, medication to stimulate your heart may be used instead of exercise, like cardiac catheterization or angiogram, which is to view blood flow through your heart (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Your doctor may inject a special dye into your arteries (intravenously). The dye is injected into the arteries of the heart through a long, thin, flexible tube (catheter) that is threaded through an artery, usually in the leg, to the arteries in the heart (Mayo Clinic, 2014). A heart scan is then computerized tomography (CT) which is a technology used to help your doctor see calcium deposits in your arteries that can narrow the arteries. If a substantial amount of calcium is discovered, coronary artery disease may be likely and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). This procedure uses MRI technology, often combined with an injected contrast dye, to check for areas of narrowing or blockages (Mayo Clinic,
According to “Heart Disease and Marfan Syndrome” (n.d.), if the disease is suspected, the doctor will perform a physical exam of the eyes, heart and blood vessels, and muscle and skeletal system. After, a history of symptoms and information about family members will be obtained to determine if you have it. A chest x-ray, an electrocardiogram, and an echocardiogram can also be used to evaluate the heart and blood vessels to detect heart rhythm problems. A transesophageal echocardiogram may also be used, along with an MRI, CT scan, or a slit lamp eye exam to check for dislocated lenses. The various symptoms of Marfan syndrome allow doctors to diagnose the condition and provide treatments that can help the
The purpose for the stent was to hold the coronary artery open to allow the blood to flow more freely.
After review of the clinical information provided by North Central Bronx Hospital, the Medical Director has denied your admission to North Central Bronx Hospital. It was determined that the clinical information did not justify an inpatient stay. Acute inpatient hospitalization was not medically necessary. You are a 56 year old female with complaints of worsening pressure-like chest pain on the left sided that radiated to your left arm and neck. The symptoms began when you were at rest and woke you from your sleep. Based on the Interqual guideline (a decision based program to determine medical need) criteria to for acute coronary syndrome the clinical guidelines were not met because troponins were negative, there was no diagnostic testing such as a stress test, or documentation of ischemia in the clinical information that was submitted.
There are various treatments for acute coronary syndrome to prevent the occurrence of an acute myocardial infarction. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the current research of the pharmacological treatments of this condition and to evaluate the relevance of this research in relation to the practise of paramedics.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of multifactorial chronic heart disease. It is a consequence of plaque buildup in coronary arteries. The arterial blood vessels, which begin out smooth and elastic become narrow and rigid, curtailing blood flow resulting in deprived of oxygen and nutrients to the heart [1].
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
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.
CHD is primarily due to atherosclerosis, which is the blockage of blood flow in the arteries due to the accumulation of fats, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. Atherosclerosis takes place over many years, but when the blood flow becomes so limited due to the build up of plaque in the arteries, there becomes a serious problem. “When...
It’s caused by high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol. That damage leads to the formation of plaque. When bad cholesterol, or LDL, crosses the damaged endothelium, the cholesterol enters the wall of the artery. That causes your white blood cells to stream in to digest the LDL. Over years, cholesterol and cells become plaque in the wall of the artery (WebMed). This proves me that the plaques create a hard wall inside the artery, also as the atherosclerosis progresses the wall is going to be more bigger with the time, and doesn’t just affects your heart, it also affects all your body with risk of getting more sick, the possibilities for a stroke increments and other health problems too. This are just some of the causes for this illness, there also stress, the type of diet you are in, the workflow, in case of being a student, school, exams, social life, etc. can be also factors for the illness to progress more as you get older and you don’t do a change to benefit yourself and be
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.
Coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease affects 16.8 million people in the United States and causes more than 607,000 deaths annually (Lemone, chap.30). It is caused by atherosclerosis which is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries causing impaired blood flow to the myocardium. CAD or coronary artery syndrome is usually without symptoms but may induce heart attack, angina and acute coronary syndrome if not properly treated. There are many risk factors associated with CAD like obesity, high cholesterol diet, hereditary, physical inactivity, just to name a few. Patients with CAD may be unable to identify and manage their risks factors. It is imperative for nurses to educate the patient about CAD and measures to enhance their health.
Symptoms to heart disease can include chest pain, shortness of breath, pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms, if the blood vessels in those areas are narrow. There are many causes of heart disease. You can just be born with heart defects, or naturally cause them yourself by smoking, excessive use of alcohol, also having high blood pressure, diabetes. Abusing drugs can also cause heart disease too. Stress is a cause of heart disease. Even over the counter medications can cause a heart problem. There is a good amount of test that is used to diagnose heart disease. Blood test, chest x-rays, tilt table test which is use to help find fainting spells, stress test which evolves an evaluation of the hearts response during moderate exercise while a 12-lead ECG is performed, electrocardiograms, heart MRI, holter monitoring is where the heart is recorded while the patient is ambulatory for at least a 24-hour period, echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, heart biopsy which is where the doctor removes a part of the heart tissue, cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan helps to visualize the hearts anatomy, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging are all test that is use to see if someone has a form of heart disease. There are treatments to help prevent heart disease. Depending on how bad the form ...
Cardiac sonographers also known as echocardiographers are medical professionals who use a type of imaging called ultrasound that uses high frequency sound waves to create images of the heart, look at the functioning of the hearts chambers, vessels, walls, blood flow, and valve function( “Cardiac Sonography: Job,” 2013). Cardiac sonographers work with ultrasound equipment and a transducer probe to generate sound waves into images. They use sonography to produce visual images that can assist in the treatment or diagnosis of certain heart and blood vessel conditions. They must be skilled in recognizing and pointing out any abnormalities. Therefore, they must be familiar with basic cardiac conditions. However, cardiac sonographers do not diagnose the patients themselves, but they do work alongside many cardiologists and physicians who determines the issue if one is present ( “Cardiac Sonography: Job,” 2013). Cardiac sonographers mainly perform the technical aspects of the examinations, assess the findings, and report them to the cardiologist for further review. Preforming echocardiograms is not the only job a sonographer has, they provide a big portion of patient care throughout their day by reviewing patients medical records, prepping them for the echo, and instructing them during the
Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Diseases under the heart disease umbrella include blood vessel diseases, heart rhythm problems, and heart defects. The major cause of this is a build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries. Plaque build-up thickens and stiffens the vessel walls, which can inhibit blood flow through the arteries to organs and tissues.
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).