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Myocardial Infarction And The Heart Attack Essay

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A myocardial infarction otherwise known as an MI or heart attack can happen to anyone at any time. It is very important for people of all generations, sexes, and origin to know the signs and symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction. The signs of an MI may be different from person to person and no two people will share the same exact symptoms; therefore, knowing what to watch out for is the best form of education a patient can have. The amount of time a patient seeks treatment before the blood flow is completely obstructed and the heart muscle begins to die is a very important part of the treatment for an MI. If the heart muscle becomes hypoxic or damaged during a heart attack it heals by forming scar tissue. The heart will still work; however, it will have to work harder to compensate for what it has lost. Every year in the United States thousands of people not only survive a heart attack, but go on to live a very healthy and normal life. The amount of time it takes for a person to get to the emergency department is one of the biggest factors in determining how long it will take for someone to recover after a myocardial infarction (American Heart Association, 2015). PATHOPHYSIOLOGY The American Heart Institute states, "your heart muscle needs oxygen to survive. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely … When damage or death of part of the heart muscle occurs as a result of

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