clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
The clinical features of acute myocardial infarction include:
- chest pain:
- central, crushing pain
- may radiate to the jaw, neck, and one or both arms
- is a similar pain to that found in angina pectoris but patients with previous angina will often complain that the pain is more severe and lasts longer than angina
- nausea, vomiting, sweating
- the patient is often distressed and may be tachycardic, cold and clammy
- blood pressure is variable
- the patient may be cyanosed
- mild pyrexia is variable feature
Presentation may be with features of the complications, such as left ventricular failure e.g. with dyspnoea
Myocardial infarction is silent in 30% - particularly in diabetics and elderly patients.
assessment and diagnosis of recent onset chest pain or discomfort of suspected cardiac origin