Pathophysioology Case Study: Acute Mi

Running head: PATHOPHYSIOOLOGY CASE STUDY: ACUTE MI

Pathophysiology Case Study: Acute MI

Melissa Warwick-Schwarz

Jacksonville University

Pathophysiology Case Study: Acute MI

Caring for patients in the emergency room can present some challenges. The emergency nursing team requires knowledge about many illnesses and disease processes. The condition of a patient can change rapidly. The following is a case study will explore a patient who arrived to the emergency room having an active myocardial infarction.

R.W. is a 61-year-year old white male, who presented to the emergency room via medics at 11:00 am. He was awake, alert and orientated to person, place, time and event. He was also pale, diaphoretic and complaining of nausea. The patient denied any chest pain or pain in his arm, shoulder, or jaw. His chief complaint was heart burn earlier in the morning after eating breakfast. At about 10:30 AM, he had a near syncopal episode with some nausea which then he placed a call to 911.. Medical history included hyperlipidemia and not taking any lipid lowering agents and no surgical history. He does not smoke and drinks socially and has no cardiac family history. His weight was 180 lbs (80 kg) and height 5’9”. R.W. was place on a cardiac monitor which displayed ST elevations in lead II. Initial vital signs B/P 189/103 P.75, R24, and Temp. 97.6. Degrees. Two large bore IV were established and labs drawn included a CBC, SMA 12, PT, PTT and Cardiac Enzymes. An EKG and chest x-ray was obtained. One liter of normal saline were hung wide open and the patient was placed on 4 liter of oxygen via nasal cannula.

Cholesterol is a major component of the atherosclerotic plaque that is associated with MI. An elevated level of total cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis and MI. Laboratory testing provides a measure of certain types of circulating fat particles. Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein...