title: Thrombolytic therapy.
abstract: A myocardial infarction is the end stage of a disease process that begins early in life. A diet rich in saturated fat, smoking and high blood pressure conspire to produce changes in arterial walls. These changes, called atheroma, consist of fibrous fatty deposits in the innermost lining of the blood vessel. The atheromatous deposit or plaque encroaches into the arterial lumen and when it reaches a certain size begins to reduce the rate at which blood flows along the vessel. In the ( case of the coronary circulation this reduction in blood flow deprives the heart muscle of important nutrients and the patient experiences a characteristic discomfort called angina.
authors.affiliation: British Heart Foundation Bellow in Cardiology, King's College Hospital, London.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smyth