Nursing care for patients diagnosed with acute myocardial in-farction in the intensive care unit: a narrative review

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are among the main pathologies that cause deaths in Brazil, and directly contribute to the increase in the number of intensive care unit hospitalizations. These cardiological dysfunctions are caused by several factors that must be treated immediately after the appearance of the first signs and symptoms. The care environment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the focus of the present study, is an environment intended to assist seriously ill and unstable patients that are usually in a hospital setting and is considered high complexity due to its cutting-edge technological and computerized apparatus. The role of the nurse begins as soon as the patient is admitted upon arriving at healthcare facilities in general, with the main function of early diagnosis and immediate initiation of emergency care, increasing the patient's chances of survival. The early diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) and therapeutic interventions directly affect the morbidity and mortality of patients. Therefore, this study aimed, through a narrative review, to highlight the main risk factors and understand the importance of nursing care in the assistance of patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Intensive Care Unit.