How to identify myocardial infarction?

This is the 3292nd article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Myocardial infarction misunderstanding

In daily life, some people always think that chest tightness or chest pain is cardiac neurosis?

Wrong! There are fatal problems waiting for you.

In clinical practice, we sometimes encounter some very difficult cases.

For example: I have a friend who is a senior executive in a bank. She is usually under great pressure at work and often works overtime and stays up late. She drinks coffee to stay awake during the day and relies on sleeping pills to fall asleep at night. Some time ago, she often felt palpitations, chest tightness, and panic, and sometimes even shortness of breath. She had to rest for a while before she could recover. She was worried and went to a secondary hospital for blood tests, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, treadmill exercise tests and other examinations. The report showed no obvious abnormalities. The doctor recommended regular follow-up and seek medical attention as soon as similar symptoms reappeared. However, she thought that all indicators were normal, and it must be the anxiety that people often say leads to cardiac neurosis.

A week ago in the morning, similar chest tightness occurred again. She mistakenly thought it was an old problem and did not take it seriously. At noon, the chest tightness and shortness of breath did not improve, so she went to the hospital again. It turned out to be an acute myocardial infarction!

Heart attacks happen from time to time

Once the golden rescue time is missed, irreversible consequences may occur.

Please remember: The golden time for first aid is 90 minutes after onset of disease.

When an acute myocardial infarction occurs, blood flow to certain areas of the heart suddenly decreases or is interrupted, and myocardial cells die due to ischemia.

How to identify myocardial infarction?

1. Symptoms

1. Angina pectoris symptoms: sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, and a sense of oppression that lasts for more than 20 minutes and is difficult to relieve on its own. Patients are often accompanied by tension and anxiety.

2. Symptoms of cardiogenic shock: manifested as low blood pressure, syncope, sweating, and cold hands and feet.

3. Cardiopulmonary arrest: Myocardial infarction is prone to complications such as malignant arrhythmias, which can lead to cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest and loss of consciousness, requiring immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

4. Special attention: Some patients may present with less typical myocardial ischemia symptoms, such as toothache, upper limb pain, back pain, nausea, vomiting, etc. The subjective experience of angina pectoris also varies from person to person.

II. Countermeasures

1. Adult patients who experience unexplained chest pain or compression symptoms should consider the possibility of myocardial infarction, be vigilant, and seek medical attention promptly.

2. Nitroglycerin can temporarily relieve angina symptoms, but it cannot cure myocardial infarction and should be used with caution in patients with bradycardia or hypotension.

3. Drugs that prevent thrombosis, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, must be taken under the guidance of professionals.

4. See a doctor as soon as possible and receive treatment as early as possible.

It is important to note that you should call the emergency number in time, state the time, place, symptoms of the onset of the disease, and take medication under the guidance of medical staff over the phone to seek medical treatment as quickly as possible.

Author: Liuzao Community Health Service Center, Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Ding Meihua, deputy chief nurse

Shanghai Pudong New Area Liuzao Community Health Service Center

Wu Beijing Attending Physician