Question

1. A 55-year-old male is admitted into the hospital complaining of chest pains. His ECG shows an enlarged Q wave. What would be the initial diagnosis for the patient? What tests might be run to confirm the diagnosis?

2.A patient has been diagnosed with hypertension. How would this condition affect his stroke volume? How would hypertension affect the thickness of the heart wall and his risk of myocardial infarction?

Answer 1

Ans 1. Enlarged Q wave is a sign of previous myocardial infarcation. They are result of absence of electrical conductivity.

Ans 2. When arterial pressure is ≥120/80 mmHg, a person is said to have "elevated" pressure or hypertension.

The high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) causes the coronary arteries serving the heart to slowly become narrowed from a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances that together are called plaque. This slow process is known as atherosclerosis.

And As arteries harden with plaque, blood clots become more likely to form. When an artery becomes blocked due to an accumulation of plaque or a blood clot, the flow of blood through the heart muscle is interrupted, starving the muscle of oxygen and nutrients. The damage or death of part of the heart muscle that occurs as a result is called a myocardial infarction