HEART ATTACK (MYOCARDIAL

INFECTION)
DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw
DEFINITION: Heart Attack is when blood flow decrease or stops to a part of the heart causing damage to
the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the
shoulder, arm or jaw

CAUSES:
Heart attack is mostly caused by a blockage of one or more of your coronary arteries supplying the heart
with blood and oxygen. Over time a coronary artery can narrow from the build-up of various substances
including cholesterol (atherosclerosis). This condition known as coronary artery disease, causes most
heart attacks which form a plaque in the artery that feed the heart. The plaque eventually breaks away
and forms a clot, starving the heart muscle of oxygen and nutrients (ischemia). The interrupted blood
flow can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle.

You might have a complete or partial blockage. A complete blockage means you have had an ST
elevation myocardial infection (STEMI). While a partial blockage means you have had a non-ST elevation
myocardial infection (NSTEMI)

A heart attack can be fatal, but treatment has improved dramatically over the years. It’scrucial for
emergency medical help if you think you might be having a heart attack.

Another cause of heart attack is a spasm of a coronary artery that shuts down blood flow to part of the
heart muscle. Using tobacco and illicit drugs, such as cocaine, can cause a life threatening spasm.

RISK FACTORS:

Certain factors contribute to the unwanted build-up of fatty deposits (atherosclerosis) that narrow
arteries throughout your body. You can improve or eliminate many of those risk factors to reduce your
chances of having a first or another heart attack. These risk factors include;

Age

Family history of heart attack

Lack of physical activity

Stress

Tobacco; this includes smoking and long-term exposure to hand smoke.

High blood pressure; over time, high blood pressure can damage arteries that feed your heart. High
blood pressure that occurs with other conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol or diabetes, increases
your risk even more.

High cholesterol (triglyceride level); A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (a bad
cholesterol) is most likely to narrow arteries. A high triglyceride(a type of blood fat related to your diet)
also increases your risk of heart attack. However, a HDL CHOLESTEROL (the good cholesterol) lower your
risk of heart attack.

Obesity; this is associated with high blood cholesterol levels, high triglyceride level, high blood pressure
and diabetes.
Diabetes; this means not producing enough of the hormone secreted by your pancreas (insulin) or not
responding to insulin properly causes your body blood sugar levels to rise, increasing your risk of heart
attack.

Metabolic syndrome; this occurs when you have obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
Having metabolic syndrome makes you twice as likely to develop heart disease than if you don’t have it.

Illicit drug use; using stimulant drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines, can trigger a spasm of your
coronary arteries that can cause a heart attack.

A history of preeclampsia: this condition causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and increase the
lifetime risk of heart attack.

An autoimmune condition: having a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus can increase your
risk of heart attack.

SIGNS ANDSYMPTOM

The common signs and symptoms are:

Pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to
your neck, jaw or back

Nausea, indigestion, heartburns or abdominal pain

Shortness of breath

Cold sweat

Fatigue

Light headaches or sudden dizziness

COMPLICATIONS:

Complications are often related to the damage done to your heart during an attack, which can lead to;

Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

Heart failure

Sudden cardiac arrest.

NURSING INTERVENTION

The midwife advices the patient or client to change their life style and habits like; stop smoking, lower
your cholesterol, control your diabetes and blood pressure. Follow an exercise plan, keep a healthy body
weight, control stress