Myocardial Infarction

• Myocardial Infarction - Also known as a heart attack, is a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is abruptly cut off, causing tissue damage.
• Myocardial Infarction

  This is usually a result of a blockage in one or more of the coronary arteries. A blockage can develop due to a buildup of plaque, a substance mostly made of fat, cholesterol, and cellular waste products or due to a sudden blood clot that forms on the blockage.
• Symptoms of Myocardial Infarction

  1. Pressure or tightness in the chest
  2. Pain in the chest, back, jaw, and other areas of the upper body that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back
  3. Shortness of breath
  4. Sweating
  5. Nausea
  6. Vomiting
  7. Anxiety
  8. Feeling like you are going to faint
  9. A fast heart rate
  10. A sense of impending doom
• Medications to treat a heart attack

  1. Blood thinners, such as aspirin
  2. Thrombolytics
  3. Antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel
  4. Nitroglycerin
  5. Beta-blockers
  6. ACE inhibitors
  7. Pain relievers
  8. Diuretics
• Thrombolytics - this is a treatment to dissolve dangerous clots in blood vessels, improve blood flow, and prevent damage to tissue and organs. This drug is given thru an IV or catheter.
• THROMBOLYTICS

  Eminase (anistreplase)

  Retavase (reteplase)

  Streptase (streptokinase, kabikinase)

  t-PA (class of drugs that includes Activase)

  TNKase (tenecteplase)

  Abbokinase, Kinlytic (rokinase)
• THROMBOLYTICS SIDE EFFECTS

  1. Allergic reactions
  2. Bleeding in the nose, stool or urine
  3. Bleeding or bruising at the site of IV or catheter insertion
  4. Kidney damage, especially if the patient has diabetes
  5. Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  6. Movement of the blood clot to another part of the body
  7. Swollen tissue (angioedema)
  8. Ventricular arrhythmia
• THROMBOLYTICS

  This may not be recommended for patients who use blood-thinning medications, herbs, dietary supplements, or for people with certain conditions associated with an increased risk of bleeding.