A heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (MI) occurs when one of the arteries that supplies the heart muscle becomes blocked. Blockage may be caused by spasm of the artery or by atherosclerosis with acute clot formation. The blockage results in damaged tissue and a permanent loss of contraction of this portion of the heart muscle.

Review Date: 1/8/2002 12:00:00 AM Reviewed By:A.D.A.M. Medical Illustration Team and J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director; G. Eric Morgan, MS3; RxRemedy

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