Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction Flashcards
_______ deliver blood to myocardial cells
_______ return deoxygenated blood to RA via _______
Coronary arteries
Coronary veins
Coronary sinus
Coronary blood flow is increased through ________ to meet increased myocardial oxygen demands
Vasodilation
Myocardial O2 extraction relatively high at rest (>2/3 max) compared to skeletal muscle (<1/3 max)
What does a normal q wave look like?
First negative deflection following PR segment
Amplitude of q wave is <25% of the R wave
Duration <0.04 s (40ms)
Flat line that follows QRS complex
ST segment
Where the QRS complex meets the ST segment
J point
What does a normal T wave look like?
Slightly asymmetrical
Oriented in same direction as preceding QRS complex
What is the maximum height for a normal T wave?
5mm in limb leads
10mm in precordial leads
Myocardial ischemia results from…
Decreased oxygen and nutrient delivery to the myocardium
Myocardial ischemia can be reversed if…
Supply of oxygen and nutrients is restored
Myocardial ischemia can be recognized by…
ST segment and T wave changes
Myocardial ischemia generally appears first in the ______ region
Sub-endocardial
Deeper myocardial layers are farthest from the blood supply and exposed to greater wall tension
Causes of myocardial ischemia
Atherosclerosis
Vasospasm
Thrombosis and embolism
Decreased ventricular filling time (tachycardia)
Decreased filling pressure in coronary arteries (severe HTN or aortic valve disease)
What are the different ischemic sequelae?
Non-MI new onset angina (subendocardial ischemia with transient ST depression)
Non-MI variant angina (transmural ischemia with transient ST elevation)
Non-Q MI (NSTEMI) - ST depression or T-wave changes or normal ECG
Q-wave MI (STEMI) - Typical evolution of ST-T changes
In which ischemic sequelae will you see increased troponins?
NSTEMI and STEMI
Myocardial injury results if…
Ischemia progresses unresolved or untreated
Injury is a greater degree of cell damage than ischemia but w/o actual cell death
ST-T changes
Define myocardial infarction
Death of myocardial cells with release of enzymatic break-down products of cell death
• Troponin
• CK-MB
• Myoglobin
What happens if a patient survives their myocardial infarction?
The infarcted tissue is replaced with scar tissue
ECG may show Q waves
What are the different degrees of myocardial oxygen deprivation?
Ischemia (reversible, no permanent damage)
Injury (prolonged ischemia, onset of cellular damage, but no necrosis)
Infarction (death of injured cells, release of enzymes into circulation)
Depolarization normally proceeds in an ______ to ______ direction
Endocardium to epicardial
Conduction system is within in the sub-endocardial tissue
Repolarization usually proceeds from an _____ to _____ direction
Epicardial to endocardial
Coronary circulation is on the epicardial surface
General ECG indicators for ischemia
Inverted T wave
Tall, peaked symmetrical T wave
Depressed ST segment
General ECG indicators of myocardial injury
ST segment changes (ie elevated ST segment)
General ECG indicators of myocardial infarction
Q wave changes
What is transmural ischemia?
Ischemia involving the entire myocardial wall
More significant, with repolarization taking longer in sub epicardial layers
With transmural ischemia, T waves are ….
Symmetrical
Repolarization takes longer but also reverses direction (becomes endocardial-to-epicardial); results in T-wave inversion in leads overlying the ischemic regions
T-wave inversion occurs with ischemia because…
Ischemic tissue does not repolarize normally
Ischemic T wave is more symmetrical than a normal T wave
RAD and asymmetrical T waves are seen in…
RVH with Strain Pattern (another cause of T wave inversion)
When might you see peaked (or hyperacute) T waves?
In early stages of acute myocardial infarction
(>5mm in limb leads or >10mm in precordial leads)
Within a short time during evolution of an acute MI (~2 hours), T waves invert
ST segment depression may or may not include…
T wave inversion
How do you determine if ST segment is elevated or depressed?
Compare the ST segment to the PR segment
Significant if ST segment is:
• >1mm below baseline measured 0.04s to right of J point
• In 2 or more contiguous leads
Subendocardial ischemia, injury, and infarct involves…
The inner layer of the heart, but does not extend through the entire ventricular wall
Progressive subendocardial ischemia and injury may progress to…
A subendocardial myocardial infarction
Also called a non-Q wave infarction
Flat ST segment depression can result from…
Subendocardial injury or infarction
ST segment elevation indicates ….
Myocardial injury, and may indicate that infarction is in progress