heart attack

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heart attack (myocardial infarction) Death of part of the heart muscle due to the blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot (thrombosis). It is accompanied by chest pain, sweating and vomiting. Modern drugs treat abnormal heart rhythms and dissolve clots in the coronary arteries. Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood at the rate necessary to supply body tissues and may be due to high blood pressure or coronary heart disease. Symptoms include shortness of breath, oedema, and fatigue. Treatment is with a diuretic and heart drugs. See also angina; arteriosclerosis

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