Myocardial infarction (MI) means that part of the heart muscle suddenly loses its blood supply. Without immediate treatment, this can lead to damage to the affected part of the heart. An MI is often called a heart attack or a coronary thrombosis.

The heart pumps blood into arteries (blood vessels) which take the blood to every part of the body. The heart muscle, like all muscles, always needs a good blood supply. The coronary arteries take blood to the heart muscle. The main coronary arteries branch off from the aorta. (The aorta. is the large artery that takes oxygen-rich blood from the heart chambers to the body.) The main coronary arteries divide into smaller branches then take blood to all parts of the heart muscle.

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