Myocardial infarction

A myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a heart attack, is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen, causing injury to the heart muscle. Injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain and chest pressure sensation. If blood flow is not restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack is usually “complete”. The dead heart muscle is eventually replaced by scar tissue.

Causes of MI

Recently, it has been determined that the high rate of heart attacks is most frequently associated with intense physical exertion and mental overstrain. Nevertheless, such diseases as coronary atherosclerosis, angina pectoris and any acute infection, e.g. pneumonia, can also trigger a myocardial infarction.

Major risk factors are: age (less than 75 years for men and more than 75years for women); high blood pressure; coronary artery diseases; obesity and lack of physical activity; diabetes mellitus; cigarette smoking and heavy alcohol consumption; mental and physical stress; family history of heart diseases, especially of MI.

Exercise 7. Answer the following questions:

1. What is a myocardial infarction?

2. What is MI caused by?

3. What does the blockage of the coronary artery cause?

4. When does irreversible death of the heart muscle occur?

5. How much time does it take a heart muscle to die completely?

6. What is MI most frequently associated with?

7. What diseases may also result in a heart attack?

8. Enumerate all the risk factors for MI.

Exercise 8. Find synonyms in the text to the following words and word-combinations:

obstruction, myocardial infarction, blood circulation, to happen, psychological overstrain, inflammation of the lungs, squeezing of the chest, to result in, physical exercise, elevated blood pressure.

Exercise 9. Give the English equivalents to the following word-combinations:

смерть сердечного м’яза, закупорка (3 синоніма), постачати кров та кисень, пошкодження сердечного м’язу, біль в грудній клітині, відчуття тиснення, замінюватися шрамом, висока частотність сердечних нападів, часто пов’язувати з, привести до (3 синоніма), кров’яний тиск, недостатність фізичних вправ.

Exercise 10. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. A myocardial infarction is also known as a heart attack.

2. A MI means the death of heart muscle.

3. A MI is caused by the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot.

4. Coronary arteries supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen.

5. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen.

6. The heart attack is usually “complete” within 6-8 hours.

7. Coronary atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia can trigger a MI.

8. Irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur in 20-40 minutes.