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Patient handout

Type-2 MI (demand ischemia, no plaque rupture)

PRODUCTION

1. Your condition

This handout is for type-2 mi (demand ischemia, no plaque rupture). Your care team identified this based on: hstn rise/fall in patient with sepsis, severe anemia, tachyarrhythmia, hypoxia, hypotension, severe htn, or drug toxicity (4th udmi 2018).

Other reasons your team may use this plan: hstn elevation without ischemic ecg and without clinical acs syndrome — supports type-2 vs type-1; sepsis or septic shock with hstn rise — most common type-2 trigger; treat sepsis bundle first per ssc 2026; af with rvr / svt / sinus tachycardia >150 with hstn rise — rate control first.

2. Your medications

Take these medications exactly as prescribed. Do not stop or change a dose without talking to your provider.

MedicationStarting doseHowWhenWhat it does
aspirin81 mg dailyPOdaily IF known obstructive CAD; otherwise NO antiplatelet for type-2 MI aloneACC/AHA 2025 — treat trigger primarily; antiplatelet only if obstructive CAD known. Type-2 MI 1-yr mortality 37% vs type-1 28% but driven by comorbidity not by deferred antithrombotic per DeFilippis PMID 30689349
atorvastatin40-80 mg dailyPOdaily IF known obstructive CAD or independent ASCVD indicationPROVE-IT PMID 15007110 — benefit established in type-1 ACS; type-2 use depends on CAD status not on type-2 event itself per ACC/AHA 2025
metoprolol_tartrate5 mg IV q5 min × 3 if AF with RVR + stable; OR PO 25 mg BIDIV/POtitrate to HR <110Rate control for tachyarrhythmia trigger; AVOID in cocaine-induced (unopposed alpha) per AHA 2008 cocaine chest pain pathway
diltiazem0.25 mg/kg IV bolus → 5-15 mg/h infusionIVcontinuous titrate to HR <110Rate control alternative when β-blocker contraindicated; 2024 AHA AF guideline
norepinephrine0.05-0.5 µg/kg/min titrate MAP ≥65IVcontinuousSOAP-II first-line vasopressor; restoring perfusion corrects demand-supply mismatch driving type-2 MI

Plan: Type-2 MI trigger-targeted therapy — antithrombotic only if known obstructive CAD per ACC/AHA 2025; treat the trigger primarily per 4th UDMI 2018 PMID 30153967

3. When to call your provider

Contact your care team if any of the following happen:

  • Recurrent chest pain → ED for serial hsTn + ECG
  • Recurrent trigger → trigger-specific re-eval
  • Stress test positive for obstructive CAD → cardiology + cath consideration

4. When to seek emergency care

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away if you have:

  • Septic shock + hsTn rise — type-2 MI driven by sepsis; sepsis bundle is primary therapy per SSC 2026(life-threatening)
  • Hgb <7 (or <8 with cardiac symptoms) + hsTn rise — type-2 MI driven by anemia
  • AF with RVR / SVT / sustained VT with HR >150 + hsTn rise — type-2 MI from rate-driven demand ischemia
  • New dynamic ECG OR clinical ACS syndrome appears during type-2 admission — pathology now suggests type-1 plaque rupture
  • Cocaine or methamphetamine use with chest pain + hsTn rise — sympathomimetic toxicity drives type-2 MI; AVOID β-blocker

5. Follow-up

Outpatient cardiology + stress test or CCTA if recovers — to detect underlying obstructive CAD that contributed to demand-supply ischemia. Optimise comorbidities (sepsis recovery, HF, CKD, DM)

6. Sources

Guideline: 4th Universal Definition of MI 2018 (Thygesen Circulation 2018, PMID 30153967); 2025 ACC/AHA ACS Guideline (Rao); ESC 2023 NSTE-ACS Guideline (Byrne, PMID 37622670)

  1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30153967
  2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30689349
  3. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37622670