Myocardial infarction occurs when a coronary artery in the heart is blocked by a thrombus, usually requiring stent implantation to clear the vessel. If not treated within 1-2 hours, the myocardium may suffer extensive necrosis due to ischemia.
Symptom recognition: Be alert for myocardial infarction if a coronary heart disease patient experiences increased frequency and severity of angina attacks.
Typical myocardial infarction symptoms include: 1) chest pain or a tightening, squeezing sensation in the chest lasting more than 15 minutes with no obvious cause; new symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and profuse sweating during angina attacks in coronary heart disease patients; some patients may experience radiating pain in the left shoulder, inner left forearm, back, upper abdomen, throat, or teeth.
Response: Immediately call emergency services; while waiting for the ambulance, have the patient lie down quietly and avoid excessive movement; be cautious with medications and do not take nitroglycerin blindly.
Timely thrombolysis is needed, otherwise, brain tissue may become necrotic due to ischemia. The 3-4.5 hour window is the golden period for rescue, and thrombolysis after 6 hours may result in hemiplegia.
Symptom recognition: Generally follow the FAST principle:
FACE: Sudden loss of vision in one eye or a drooping mouth corner on one side; ARM: Weakness or numbness on one side of the body; SPEECH: Sudden slurred speech or inability to understand others; TIME: If any of the above symptoms appear, call an ambulance immediately.
Response: Have the patient lie flat without a pillow, turn the head to one side to prevent choking from vomiting. If the collar is tight or the patient has dentures, loosen the buttons and remove the dentures to avoid breathing difficulties. If the patient vomits, clear the airway and mouth of any foreign objects.