Myocardial Infarction

See how drugs work for your patients with an MI during immediate and continuing treatment. Learn about the drugs' therapeutic effects, life-threatening adverse reactions, and interactions. See exactly how to tailor your nursing care before, during, and after drug therapy. In just 30 minutes, you'll learn: ‚ ~h how nitroglycerin relieves chest pain by relaxing vascular smooth muscles, which dilates coronary arteries ‚ ~h how thrombolytic drugs, such as alteplase, lyse an occluding thrombus, restore myocardial blood flow, and prevent necrosis of the injured myocardium ‚ ~h how heparin blocks the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin and prothrombin to thrombin, thus preventing new thrombi from forming ‚ ~h why beta blockers are used to limit the size of an MI ‚ ~h how ACE inhibitors minimize left ventricular dilation by reducing afterload and blood pressure ‚ ~h why HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, such as lovastatin, are used to reduce the risk of a second MI in patients with hyperlipidemiaBlanchard & Loeb is the author of 'Myocardial Infarction' with ISBN 9781930138100 and ISBN 1930138105.