Recently, I was asked to deliver a lecture for practicing internists reviewing the latest therapeutic interventions for patients with acute myocardial infarction. While preparing my presentation, I discussed the topic with some of my cardiology colleagues. Their comments usually included this idea: “Why should an internist know about the latest therapy for an acute myocardial infarction when almost all of these patients are going to be managed by a cardiologist?” This comment made me think about the role that an internist might be required to perform in this setting. Of course, most patients will be initially managed by a cardiologist, particularly if that patient needs an urgent trip to the catheterization laboratory. Eventually, I decided that there were 5 reasons why internists should be familiar with the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction.
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— Joseph S. Alpert, MD
This article was originally published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
