Word: Myocardial Infarction
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Myocardial infarction is a medical term that means damage to the heart muscle. This damage happens because the blood flow to the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. When the heart doesn't get enough blood, it can start to die, which can lead to serious health problems or even death.
Usage Instructions: You would typically use "myocardial infarction" in medical contexts or discussions about heart health. It's a formal term, so it's not commonly used in everyday conversation unless you are talking about health or medicine.
Example Sentence: After experiencing severe chest pain, the doctor diagnosed him with a myocardial infarction.
Advanced Usage: In more advanced discussions, you might hear about factors that increase the risk of myocardial infarction, such as high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol levels.
Word Variants: - "Myocardial" is the adjective form, referring to anything related to the heart muscle. - "Infarction" can also refer to the death of tissue in other organs due to lack of blood supply, such as "cerebral infarction," which affects the brain.
Different Meanings: - The term "infarction" itself can be used outside of cardiology to refer to tissue death in other areas of the body due to blocked blood flow.
Synonyms: - Heart attack (this is the most common term used by the general public) - Cardiac event (a less specific term that could refer to any problem with the heart)
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: - There aren't specific idioms or phrasal verbs that include "myocardial infarction," but you might hear phrases like "have a heart attack" in everyday conversation.
Summary: Myocardial infarction is a serious medical condition where part of the heart muscle is damaged due to a lack of blood flow.