Myocardial ischemia

Myocardial ischemia is an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand. Left untreated, it results in angina pectoris, myocardial stunning, myocardial hibernation, ischemic preconditioning, postconditioning, or under the most severe instances, acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction.

Myocardial ischemia is the pathological state underlying ischaemic heart disease. It can lead to myocardial infarction (commonly known as heart attack) which in its acute form can lead to the death of the affected person. Myocardial ischemia is actually the restriction of blood supply thus causing lack of oxygen supply to the heart caused by rupture of artery due collection of fats and cholesterol (lipids) on the walls of the artery.

References

• Hurst's The Heart, 12th edition, 2007.