1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910824410003321

Autore

Wellens H. J. J

Titolo

The ECG in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina [[electronic resource] ] : diagnosis and risk stratification / / by Hein J.J. Wellens, Anton P.M. Gorgels, and Pieter A. Doevendans

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Boston, : Kluwer, c2002

ISBN

0-306-48202-9

Edizione

[1st ed. 2002.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (IX, 132 p. 231 illus.)

Collana

Developments in cardiovascular medicine ; ; 244 [i.e. 245]

Altri autori (Persone)

GorgelsAnton P. M

DoevendansPieter A

Disciplina

616.1/23707547

Soggetti

Myocardial infarction - Diagnosis

Electrocardiography

Angina pectoris

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Determining the size of the area at risk, the severity of ischemia, and identifying the site of occlusion in the culprit coronary artery -- Conduction disturbances in acute myocardial infarction -- Myocardial infarction in the presence of abnormal ventricular activation -- Arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction -- The electrocardiographs signs of reperfusion -- The electrocardiogram in unstable angina.

Sommario/riassunto

The electrocardiogram (ECG) remains the most accessible and inexpensive diagnostic tool to evaluate the patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial ischemia. It plays a crucial role in decision making about the aggressiveness of therapy especially in relation to reperfusion therapy, because such therapy has resulted in a considerable reduction in mortality from acute myocardial infarction. Several factors play a role in the amount of myocardial tissue that can be salvaged by reperfusion therapy, such as the time interval between onset of coronary occlusion and reperfusion, site and size of the jeopardized area, type of reperfusion attempt (thrombolytic agent or an intracoronary catheter intervention), presence or absence of risk factors for thrombolytic agents, etc. Most important in decision making on reperfusion therapy and the type of intervention is to look for markers



indicating a higher mortality rate from myocardial infarction. The ECG is a reliable, inexpensive, non-invasive instrument to obtain that information. Recently it has become clear that both in anterior and inferior myocardial infarction, the ECG frequently allows not only to identify the infarct related coronary artery, but also the site of occlusion in that artery and therefore the size of the jeopardized area. Obviously, the more proximal the occlusion, the larger the area at risk and the more aggressive the reperfusion attempt.