Does heart tissue die in a heart attack?

Does heart tissue die in a heart attack?

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the medical term for a heart attack. It occurs when there is a sudden, complete blockage of blood flow to a portion of heart muscle. This causes the heart tissue in that portion of the heart to die.

How does myocardial infarction affect the heart tissue?

If a blood clot totally blocks the artery, the heart muscle becomes “starved” for oxygen. Within a short time, death of heart muscle cells occurs, causing permanent damage. This is called a myocardial infarction (MI), or heart attack.

What part of the body does a heart attack affects?

Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

How does a heart attack affect the body?

A heart attack affects the body by damaging the heart muscle. Without oxygen, the heart muscle begins to die and scar tissue forms there instead. The damage may lead to long-lasting problems.

What does scar tissue do to the heart?

Scar tissue growing in your heart is nature’s way of repairing cardiac tissue damage. While damage in itself is a bad thing, this repair mechanism is vital. Scars prevent the mechanical failure of your heart’s pumping action, which keeps our blood moving around our body, and us alive.

What happens to the myocardium in a heart attack?

The myocardium is also the most active and needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to continue pumping blood efficient. If the myocardium fails to function, the beating heart ceases. In a heart attack, the entire myocardium is usually not affected simultaneously.

When does a blood clot cause a heart attack?

This blood clot can block the blood flow through the artery to the heart muscle. Ischemia results when the heart muscle is starved for oxygen and nutrients. When damage or death of part of the heart muscle occurs as a result of ischemia, it’s called a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI).