Myocardial infarction

A myocardial infarction, or "heart attack", is the death of a group of muscle cells in the heart from a sudden decrease in their blood supply. That decrease comes about from a blockage in the the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. The area of damage in the heart that results from decreased blood supply is usually larger than the infarct. In other words, when the blood supply becomes inadequate (Ischemia) and the hard-working cardiac muscle cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients, at least some of the affected muscle cells may be impaired by this loss rather than killed. By definition, if an infarct has occurred, at least some of these muscle cell have died- but many others may have become swollen or injured and yet, with restoration of the blood supply, are able to eventually recover.