What distinguishes a heart attack from a myocardial infarction (MI)?

A heart attack and a myocardial infarction (MI) refer to the same medical event. However, the terminology used can provide insight into the different contexts of the event. When most people refer to a heart attack, they typically mean the acute episode where a patient experiences chest pain and other symptoms. This entails a sudden blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle, usually due to a blood clot in the coronary arteries.

The term myocardial infarction, on the other hand, specifically describes the result of this blockage—the actual damage that occurs to the heart muscle as a result of the reduced blood supply. In other words, the heart attack represents the clinical symptoms and immediate experience that a person goes through, while the MI refers to the pathological consequence of that event. Thus, saying that a heart attack signifies the end result of an MI emphasizes that the heart attack is the manifestation of the underlying myocardial injury that has occurred.

This distinction highlights the difference between the acute symptoms experienced by the patient and the specific medical diagnosis that describes the heart muscle damage. Understanding this can aid dispatchers and responders in communicating effectively about the situation when it arises.