STEMI

STEMI or ST-elevation myocardial infarction is a type of heart attack that is identified by a specific pattern on an ECG.

Overview

STEMI is a very serious type of heart attack during which one of the heart's major arteries, which supplies oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the heart muscle, is blocked. ST-elevation refers to a particular pattern on an EKG and stands for ST segment elevation; the ST segment is a part of the EKG readout, and its elevation is a sign that a large amount of heart muscle is being damaged.

Causes

The most common cause of STEMI is atherosclerosis, a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. When a plaque in a heart artery breaks, a blood clot forms around the plaque. This blood clot can block the blood flow through the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is starved for oxygen and nutrients, it is called ischemia. When damage or death of part of the heart muscle occurs as a result of ischemia, it is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI).

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of STEMI are chest pain or discomfort; upper body discomfort; shortness of breath; cold sweat; fatigue; lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.

Treatment

The goal of treatment for STEMI is to open the blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart muscle. This can be done using medications and/or procedures such as coronary angioplasty and stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

See also

• Myocardial infarction
• Coronary artery disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Electrocardiography

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