Here is the English translation of the provided text: "Experts for your consultation - Interpretations of over 20 common diseases"

Author: Wu Mengchao, Tang Zaoyou, Chen Haozhu / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Myocardial Infarction and Factors Promoting Acute Myocardial Infarction
Myocardial infarction is a sudden and severe clinical manifestation of coronary heart disease. Due to severe atherosclerosis at a certain point in the patient's coronary artery, along with slow blood flow and increased blood viscosity, a blood clot (thrombus) forms. When this thrombus completely blocks the coronary artery, the area of myocardium supplied by that artery suddenly experiences blood flow interruption, causing acute myocardial ischemia and persistent, severe chest pain. If this myocardium is deprived of blood for more than 1 hour, it will undergo necrosis and lose viability. In addition to angina symptoms, the patient may also exhibit elevated enzyme activity in the serum, accelerated blood sedimentation, and characteristic changes on the electrocardiogram. These signs indicate that the patient has suffered an acute myocardial infarction.
With the application of coronary angiography, clinicians have discovered that myocardial infarction can be caused not only by thrombosis but also by transient coronary artery spasm. The evidence for this is that in a significant number of patients with myocardial infarction, the degree of atherosclerosis is very mild, or even completely normal, meaning that acute myocardial infarction does not always coexist with thrombosis from the outset. This finding has provided new insights into the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.
After suffering an acute myocardial infarction, patients' prognoses are not necessarily poor—the key lies in the severity of the condition, which primarily depends on the location of the coronary artery obstruction. Some patients may experience acute myocardial infarction, but only a small branch of the coronary artery is blocked. While the pain may be severe, the affected area of myocardium is small, and it may not significantly impact heart function, leading to a relatively faster recovery. With appropriate treatment, rest, and rehabilitation, these patients can still maintain their ability to work and enjoy a long life. However, if one or more major coronary arteries are blocked, the situation becomes different, as it may affect the heart's pumping function or lead to various arrhythmias.
Acute myocardial infarction is a primary manifestation of coronary heart disease, and its onset is associated with many risk factors of coronary heart disease. We have conducted detailed inquiries into the preceding triggers in 165 patients with acute myocardial infarction. We observed that among the 58 cases with promoting factors, the mortality rate was 25.9%, while among the 54 cases without obvious triggers, the mortality rate was 44.7%. There was a significant difference between the two groups, indicating that patients with promoting factors generally have a better prognosis than those without obvious triggers. P24