What are the symptoms of myocardial infarction?

Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the heart muscle.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort that may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes.

The discomfort may occasionally feel like heartburn.

Other symptoms may include:

An MI may cause heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, cardiogenic shock, or cardiac arrest.
Most MIs occur due to coronary artery disease.

Risk factors include:

Other Names for Coronary Heart Disease

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Hardening of the arteries
  • Heart disease
  • Ischemic (is-KE-mik) heart disease
  • Narrowing of the arteries

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 24 Jan 2018
Medical Author: Dr. med. Diana Hysi