Pathophysiology Myocardial infarction, or heart attack, is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, a condition in which fibrinous plaques, called atheromas, develop within the walls of the arteries, impairing the flow of blood. High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a component of cholesterol, are a major contributor to the formation of atheromas. A myocardial infarction occurs when a plaque completely occludes a coronary artery, or when an emboli travels to the coronary artery. (VanMeter & Hubert, 2014).
When a coronary artery becomes occluded, oxygenated blood cannot reach the surrounding cardiac tissue. The lack of oxygenated blood supply to the tissue (ischemia) results in cell death and necrosis at the site of the blockage. As cells die, they release specific enzymes into the blood which are a key diagnostic marker of a heart attack. An area of necrotic tissue with surrounding inflammation develops around the occluded artery, distal to the blockage. Electrical …show more content…
This is likely due to the fact a genetic cause for lower levels of LDL cholesterol begins much earlier in life than would pharmacological therapy. The discovery of a genetic mutation which protects against disease is important to the development of future drugs, as it gives developers a specific drug action on which to focus (Straight, 2014; IMIGCI, 2014). In the future, it is possible that drug therapy with ezetimibe or a similar drug will begin earlier in life for those who have a familial history of coronary artery disease, as life-long protection was associated with decreased risk of developing the disease. This could greatly reduce the incidence of heart attack associated with coronary artery
When a coronary artery becomes occluded, oxygenated blood cannot reach the surrounding cardiac tissue. The lack of oxygenated blood supply to the tissue (ischemia) results in cell death and necrosis at the site of the blockage. As cells die, they release specific enzymes into the blood which are a key diagnostic marker of a heart attack. An area of necrotic tissue with surrounding inflammation develops around the occluded artery, distal to the blockage. Electrical …show more content…
This is likely due to the fact a genetic cause for lower levels of LDL cholesterol begins much earlier in life than would pharmacological therapy. The discovery of a genetic mutation which protects against disease is important to the development of future drugs, as it gives developers a specific drug action on which to focus (Straight, 2014; IMIGCI, 2014). In the future, it is possible that drug therapy with ezetimibe or a similar drug will begin earlier in life for those who have a familial history of coronary artery disease, as life-long protection was associated with decreased risk of developing the disease. This could greatly reduce the incidence of heart attack associated with coronary artery