Discussion question
The heart tissues and muscles are designed in such a way that they continuously pump blood into and out of the heart. This implies that the cells within the heart muscles and tissues have to remain active for the nature lifetime in order to support the delicate mechanism of pumping blood. These cells however may reach a point where they cannot support the pumping of blood enough to sustain the required amount of blood in various parts of the body. In these instances, the heart muscles cannot contract strongly and well enough and this reduces the amount of blood available for systematic circulation (Kumar, Abbas & Aster, 2012). The cells that make up the heart tissues slowly die and are eventually replaced by a scar. This scar is an inactive tissue of the heart but does not necessarily rot or putrefy simply because the environment within the body is sterile. This mechanism is what is referred from a medical perspective as the dying of the heart muscles. It is the perfect explanation for the occurrence of myocardial infarction manifestation (Friedrich, 2010).
Body cells are the primary functional elements that determine the state of all systems and organs and the functioning. In the event where there is a decrease in the size or function of these cells, there occurs a long-lasting decrease but slow decrease in the supply of blood to these cells. In the event of a limit to the adaptive mechanisms and response due to the low supply of blood, there occurs an atrophy which is described as cell injury (Friedrich, 2010). Cell injury can occur reversible or irreversibly. In reversible cases of cell injury, the pathologic changes that occur as a result of the low supply of blood can be reversed by modifying the stimulus or removing it. This only occurs in cases where there is mild cellular injury. Irreversible cell injury is a situation in which the pathologic changes are permanent leading to the death of the cells such that they cannot be managed to achieve normal state. In Mr. Smith’s case there was irreversible cell injury as denoted by the explanation that there was a clot that was blocking a major coronary artery which is characteristics of the dysfunction of the muscles in one section of the heart. Mr. Smith’s case cannot therefore be reversed at this point (Kumar, Abbas & Aster, 2012).
References
Friedrich, M. G. (2010). Myocardial edema—a new clinical entity?. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 7(5), 292-296.
Kumar, V., Abbas, A. K., & Aster, J. C. (2012). Robbins basic pathology. Elsevier Health Sciences.
