What does myocardial infarction mean in medical terminology?

Myocardial infarction is the medical term for a heart attack. It breaks into myo meaning muscle, cardi meaning heart, and infarction meaning tissue death due to inadequate blood supply. A myocardial infarction occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked, usually by a blood clot forming on a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque, cutting off oxygen to a section of heart muscle. Without blood flow, the affected muscle tissue begins to die within minutes. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, diaphoresis meaning sweating, and pain radiating to the arm or jaw.