Myocardial Infarction (MI)

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Myocardial Infarction (MI) aka: Heart attack

 

Cause

 

A blood clot is the most common cause of a blocked coronary artery.

Usually, the artery is already partially narrowed by atheromas. An

atheroma may rupture or tear, narrowing the artery further and making

blockage by a clot more likely. The ruptured atheroma not only

reduces the flow of blood through an artery but also releases

substances that make platelets stickier, further encouraging clots to

form.

 

Uncommonly, a heart attack results when a clot forms in the heart

itself, breaks away, and lodges in a coronary artery. Another

uncommon cause is a spasm of a coronary artery that stops blood flow.

Spasms may be caused by drugs. Sometimes the cause is unknown.

 

Signs and Symptoms

 

Presents as pain that is crushing, tightness, squeezing, band-like,

radiating, cyanosis, sweating, cold, " clenching fist over heart " ,

pain in the ear, umbilicus, jaw, teeth, back, arm, hand pain (often

on the ulnar side), autonomic response of vomiting, nausea or a

feeling of impending doom.

 

About one third of people who have a heart attack do not have chest

pain. Such people are more likely to be women, people who are not

white, those who are older than 75, those who have heart failure or

diabetes, or those who have had a stroke.

 

Other symptoms include a feeling of faintness, sudden heavy sweating,

nausea, shortness of breath, and a heavy pounding of the heart.

Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) occur in more than 90% of people

who have had a heart attack. Immediately and up to a few days after a

heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms are a common reason that the

heart cannot pump adequately. Abnormal heart rhythms originating in

the ventricles (ventricular arrhythmias) may greatly interfere with

the heart's pumping ability or may cause the heart to stop pumping

effectively (cardiac arrest). A loss of consciousness or death can

result. Sometimes loss of consciousness is the first symptom of a

heart attack.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk LMT, MT-BC, CA

Peacefulmind.com

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