Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
myocardial infarction
Pronunciation: my-oh-CAR-dee-al in-FARK-shun
Medical term for heart attack, referring to death of heart muscle tissue due to blocked blood flow.
Full Definition
Myocardial infarction (MI) is the clinical term for what is commonly called a heart attack. It occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart muscle (myocardium) is severely reduced or stopped, typically due to coronary artery blockage. The affected tissue dies (infarcts) due to lack of oxygen. In medical writing, 'myocardial infarction' is the preferred formal term over 'heart attack' in clinical documentation.
Usage
Usage note: Always spell out in full on first use in patient-facing materials; may abbreviate as MI in clinical notes after definition.
In Context
- "The patient presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction requiring immediate intervention." — Emergency department report
- "Post-myocardial infarction care includes cardiac rehabilitation and medication management." — Discharge summary
Also known as
MI
heart attack
acute myocardial infarction
Don't confuse with
myocardial ischemia
cardiac arrest