myocardial infarct
Noun: - Death of heart muscle tissue: A myocardial infarct is the medical term for the death of a segment of heart muscle tissue. This occurs when the blood supply to that part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot in a coronary artery.
The term "myocardial infarct" is a formal, clinical noun used specifically in medical contexts to describe the event and resulting damage. It refers to the area of dead tissue itself. - The autopsy revealed a large, recent myocardial infarct in the left ventricle. - Cardiac MRI can accurately assess the size and location of a myocardial infarct.
- "Healed myocardial infarct": Refers to an area of heart muscle where the damaged tissue has been replaced by scar tissue.
- The ECG showed evidence of an old, healed myocardial infarct.
- Myocardial infarction (MI): This is the more common full term for the acute event that causes the infarct. While "infarct" refers to the dead tissue, "infarction" refers to the process of tissue death.
- Heart attack: The common, non-medical term for the acute event (myocardial infarction).
- Infarct (n): A more general term for an area of dead tissue caused by a lack of blood supply, which can occur in other organs (e.g., cerebral infarct, renal infarct).
- Cardiac infarct: A less common synonym.
- Heart muscle death: A descriptive, non-technical synonym.
While closely related, "myocardial infarct" and "myocardial infarction" have a subtle distinction in precise medical usage: - Myocardial infarct typically refers to the result—the area of necrotic (dead) tissue. - Myocardial infarction refers to the process or the event that leads to the formation of the infarct. In everyday clinical language, however, the terms are often used interchangeably to mean "heart attack."
- destruction of heart tissue resulting from obstruction of the blood supply to the heart muscle