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 , usually caused by a clot that fully blocks a coronary artery, so the heart muscle beyond it is dying. Blood flow must be restored fast: by opening the artery in the cath lab (percutaneous coronary intervention), ideally within 90 minutes of first medical contact, or with a clot-dissolving drug if the cath lab is not available quickly. A heart attack without ST elevation is called an NSTEMI.
For the nurse
Get a 12-lead electrocardiogramih-lek-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gramA test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.electr/o electricitycardi/o heart-gram recordFull entry within 10 minutes of arrival for a client with chest pain, and report ST elevation immediately. Time matters at every step.
At a glance
| Also written | ST-elevation myocardial infarction, ST elevation myocardial infarction |
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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.
troponin
A protein found in heart muscle cells; its level in the blood is a lab test for heart muscle damage.