Usual clinical findings associated with primary DD

One of the usual findings related to ACS is chest discomfort or pain. People with ACS often experience chest pain that can radiate to other parts of the body such as shoulders, breast, and arms (Bergmark et al., 2022). A patient might describe the chest pain as burning, tightness, pressure, or aching. Another usual clinical finding is shortness of breath. Patients with ACS commonly experience breathing problems due to poor blood floor.

Bergmark et al. (2022) reported that patients with ACS might also show at the clinic sweating profoundly and sudden. Their heartbeat might also be racing. Ingestion is another common clinical sign of ACS. Other common clinical manifestations include unusual fatigue, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and fainting (Bergmark et al., 2022). The patient might also come to the clinic feeling worried or anxious.

Diagnostic criteria

Diagnosing ACS is done in many phases. The first step is to assess the patient by collecting her medication history (Luciano et al., 2019). Medical history can tell whether the patient is at risk of suffering ACS. The clinical symptoms the patient presents with should also be used to inform diagnosis decision. After taking data on the patient’s past medical history and present symptoms, lab tests and imaging should be ordered (Luciano et al., 2019).

Blood test should be ordered to check for heart proteins that have leaked into the blood due to heart damage. EKG can be done to measure the electrical activity of the patient’s heart (Luciano et al., 2019). The test can be used to identify the location of the blockage. Coronary angiogram can also be ordered to identify the exact location of the heart arteries blockage.

Treatment Plan

Aspirin (300 mg), heparin bolus, and intravenous (IV) heparin infusion are the first treatments for all ACS, provided there are no contraindications (Gilutz et al., 2019). It is also advised to use ticagrelor or clopidogrel for antiplatelet treatment. Selection is based on the preferences of the local cardiologist. Patients undergoing thrombolysis do not receive ticagrelor.

When necessary, supportive measures are given, such as oxygen in the event of hypoxia and pain management with morphine or fentanyl (Gilutz et al., 2019). For pain treatment, nitroglycerin sublingual or infusion is also an option. Nitroglycerine can result in severe hypotension in cases with inferior wall ischemia, hence it should be taken very sparingly, if at all. It is necessary to monitor the heart continuously for arrhythmias (Gilutz et al., 2019).