NCLEX Practice Question # 887

NCLEX Practice Question # 887.

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nclex examination


 

Myocardial Infarction

Description

  • MI occurs when myocardial tissue is abruptly and severely deprived of oxygen.
  • Ischemia can lead to necrosis of myocardial tissue if blood flow is not restored.
  • Infarction does not occur instantly but evolves over several hours.
  • Obvious physical changes do not occur in the heart until 6 hours after the infarction, when the infracted area appears blue and swollen.
  • After 48 hours, the infarct turns gray, with yellow streaks developing as neutrophils invade the tissue.
  • By 8 to 10 days after infarction, granulation tissue forms.
  • Over 2 to 3 months, the necrotic area develops into a scar; scar tissue permanently changes the size and shape of the ventricle.
  • Not all clients experience the classic symptoms of an MI.
  • Women may experience atypical discomfort, shortness of breath, or fatigue and often present with non–STelevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or T-wave inversion.
  • An older client may experience shortness of breath, pulmonary edema, dizziness, altered mental status, or a dysrhythmia.

Location of MI (Myocardial Infarction)

  • Obstruction of the LAD artery results in anterior wall or septal MI, or both.
  • Obstruction of the circumflex artery results in posterior wall MI or lateral wall MI.
  • Obstruction of the right coronary artery results in inferior wall MI.

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