Which are common signs and symptoms of MI?

Which are common signs and symptoms of MI?

• A. Intermittent chest pain relief with nitroglycerin.
• B. Chest pain lasting briefly with ECG changes.
• C. Severe, prolonged chest pain or pressure; nausea, sweating, vomiting; elevated enzymes; ECG changes.
• D. Shortness of breath only without chest pain.

Answer: (C)

When a myocardial infarction (MI) is occurring, you expect a combination of symptoms and objective findings that reflect sustained heart muscle ischemia and injury. The best answer describes severe and prolonged chest pain or pressure that lasts many minutes, often accompanied by autonomic symptoms like nausea, sweating, and vomiting. In addition, evidence of cardiac muscle injury appears as elevated cardiac enzymes (such as troponin) and characteristic changes on the ECG, indicating ongoing infarction. The other patterns don’t fit MI as well. Intermittent chest pain that eases with nitroglycerin points more toward stable angina or another cause of chest discomfort. Chest pain that is brief even with ECG changes could reflect non-infarction ischemia or another condition. Shortness of breath alone, without chest pain, is not the typical or most common presentation of MI, though it can occur in some patients.

When a myocardial infarction (MI) is occurring, you expect a combination of symptoms and objective findings that reflect sustained heart muscle ischemia and injury. The best answer describes severe and prolonged chest pain or pressure that lasts many minutes, often accompanied by autonomic symptoms like nausea, sweating, and vomiting. In addition, evidence of cardiac muscle injury appears as elevated cardiac enzymes (such as troponin) and characteristic changes on the ECG, indicating ongoing infarction.

The other patterns don’t fit MI as well. Intermittent chest pain that eases with nitroglycerin points more toward stable angina or another cause of chest discomfort. Chest pain that is brief even with ECG changes could reflect non-infarction ischemia or another condition. Shortness of breath alone, without chest pain, is not the typical or most common presentation of MI, though it can occur in some patients.