Cardiology Teaching Package
A Beginners Guide to Normal Heart Function, Sinus Rhythm & Common Cardiac Arrhythmias
Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Image: Acute Coronary Syndromes
With the Non-STEMI example, there is incomplete thrombus formation. This does not stop blood and oxygen completely but the restriction is so great that the oxygen content is used up quickly and, in the distal arteries and arterioles, tissue death occurs as a result of oxygen starvation. The area affected is small, not enough to cause ST elevation but enough to cause minor ST/T wave changes (see earlier examples) and Troponin elevation.
