Acute coronary syndrome management, stroke thrombolysis basics
Emergency Medicine and Critical Care · MBBS
Study notes
A 60-year-old man, Mr. Khan, arrives at the Emergency Room. He tells the doctor, 'My chest feels like a heavy weight is crushing me' (crushing retrosternal chest pain). He is also sweating heavily (diaphoresis) and feels nauseous. The doctor performs an ECG (heart's electrical activity map) and sees a huge upward bump in the ST segment. This confirms a STEMI (total blockage). Step 1: The doctor immediately gives him Aspirin to thin the blood and Nitroglycerin to relax the heart vessels. Step 2: Because it is a STEMI, the doctor calls the cath lab to perform Primary PCI (using a balloon to open the artery). Step 3: Within 90 minutes, the blocked artery is opened, and the patient's pain disappears.