Question

Joan, age 65, arrives at the office this morning without an appointment. She appears quite anxious and pale and is complaining of an intermittent aching across her sternum and into her jaw and left arm that started about an hour ago and woke her out of a sound sleep. She took an antacid and acetaminophen, but they did not seem to help. Her BP is 160/90 and heart rate is 98. An electrocardiogram shows normal sinus rhythm with a 2-mm ST segment elevations in leads II, III, and AVF. What do you suspect?

Answer 1

Joan may be experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, based on her symptoms. It is crucial for her to seek immediate medical attention.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the symptoms described by Joan, it is suspected that she may be experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack. The retrosternal pain she is experiencing, along with the radiating pain into her jaw and left arm, are classic symptoms of angina pectoris associated with an MI. The electrocardiogram showing ST segment elevations in leads II, III, and AVF further supports this suspicion.

Acute MIs can present with various symptoms, including chest pain or discomfort, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, nausea, sweating, anxiety, and fainting. Differential diagnosis is critical as these symptoms can also be associated with other medical conditions such as anxiety attacks and indigestion.

It is important for Joan to immediately seek medical attention and be properly evaluated and treated by healthcare professionals