Register for email alerts and news feeds:
This journal | BMJ Group
rss
Heart 2009;95:1112-1117; doi:10.1136/hrt.2008.151829
Copyright © 2009 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Cardiovascular Society

Education in Heart

Acute myocardial infarction associated with ST segment elevation and the new European Society of Cardiology guidelines

Freek W A Verheugt

Correspondence to:
Professor Freek W A Verheugt, Department of Cardiology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Oosterpark 9, NL-1091-AC Amsterdam, Netherlands; f.w.a.verheugt@olvg.nl

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Ischaemic heart disease is a major health problem in the western world. In many cases the first symptom of this disorder is acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The clinical spectrum of AMI is broad: it may be immediately complicated by sudden cardiac death, or it may occur silently. The consequences of myocardial infarction for society are enormous, and include the cost of hospitalisation, medication, angioplasty, coronary surgery and rehabilitation as well as expenses for disability compensation and early retirement. Finally, the psychological sequelae of being struck with a heart attack are long lasting and often lifelong.


EARLY MANAGEMENT OF AMI

Since the patient with suspected AMI is at high risk for sudden coronary death, emergency measures should be taken: immediate monitoring of the electrocardiographic heart rhythm, venous access, and rapid transportation to a hospital. The initial measures are summarised in box 1.


Box 1 Initial measures in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction

Primary measures

  • Electrocardiographic monitoring of heart rhythm
  • Introduction of venous cannula
  • Rapid transportation to a . . . [Full text of this article]



Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Verouden, N J, Koch, K T, Peters, R J, Henriques, J P, Baan, J, van der Schaaf, R J, Vis, M M, Tijssen, J G, Piek, J J, Wellens, H J, Wilde, A A, de Winter, R J (2009). Persistent precordial "hyperacute" T-waves signify proximal left anterior descending artery occlusion. Heart 95: 1701-1706 [Abstract] [Full Text]  

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

expanding the role of immediate angioplasty post fibrinolysis
oscar,m jolobe
Online, 13 Jul 2009 [Full text]

This Article

Services
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
BMJ Learning
Topic Collections
Bookmark with

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.

Show me all >>