What it means
A type of 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 in which part of the heart muscle is damaged, shown by a rise in cardiac troponin in the blood, but the ECG does not show ST elevation. The artery is usually partly rather than fully blocked. It is one form of acute coronary syndrome, along with unstable angina and STEMI.
For the nurse
Get a 12-lead ECG quickly when a client reports chest pain, and know that a normal-looking ECG does not rule out a heart attack. Repeat troponin levels are drawn as ordered. Give ordered drugs such as aspirin and anticoagulants, and watch for new chest pain and rhythm changes.
In a chart
"Troponin rising on second draw, no ST elevation; provider aware, NSTEMI protocol started."
At a glance
| Also written | non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction |
|---|
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.