Complications of an acute coronary syndrome

[Marquetta]

The heart muscle needs a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. The coronary arteries, which branch off the aorta just after it leaves the heart, deliver this blood. An acute coronary syndrome occurs when a sudden blockage in a coronary artery greatly reduces or cuts off the blood supply to an area of the heart muscle (myocardium). The lack of blood supply to any tissue is termed ischemia. If the supply is greatly reduced or cut off for more than a few minutes, heart tissue dies. A heart attack, also termed myocardial infarction (MI), is death of heart tissue due to ischemia. (See also Overview of Coronary Artery Disease.)
The complications of acute coronary syndromes depend on how much of the heart muscle is damaged, which is a direct result of where a coronary artery was blocked and how long this artery was blocked. If the blockage affects a large amount of heart muscle, the heart will not pump effectively. If the blockage shuts off blood flow to the electrical system of the heart, the heart rhythm may be affected.