What it means
An umbrella term that covers unstable anginaan-JY-nuhChest pain or pressure that happens when the heart muscle does not get enough blood and oxygen.Full entry , non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctionmy-oh-KAR-dee-ul in-FARK-shunDeath of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is blocked; a heart attack.my/o musclecardi/o heart-al having to do withinfarct area of dead tissueFull entry (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Most often a fatty plaque in a coronary arteryKOR-uh-nair-ee AR-ter-eeOne of the blood vessels on the surface of the heart that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.Full entry breaks open and a clot forms on it. The ECG and blood tests for troponin, a heart muscle protein, tell the types apart.
For the nurse
Act fast on chest pain: get a 12-lead ECG within 10 minutes, start oxygen if saturation is low, give aspirin and nitroglycerin as ordered, and keep the client at rest on a heart monitor. Time matters, because a blocked artery is opened as soon as possible.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | ACS; STEMI; NSTEMI |
|---|---|
| Spanish | síndrome coronario agudo |
| Also written | acute coronary syndromes |
Related terms
electrocardiogram
A test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.
coronary artery disease
Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, most often from fatty plaque buildup.
myocardial infarction
Death of part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is blocked; a heart attack.
angina
Chest pain or pressure that happens when the heart muscle does not get enough blood and oxygen.