myocardial ischemia

pathology

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Myocardial ischemia is a condition characterized by a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle. This can be caused by narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, a condition often referred to as coronary heart disease. When the blood flow is severely restricted, it can lead to a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, which is the death of heart muscle tissue due to lack of oxygen. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, and nausea. Medical procedures like myocardial perfusion imaging can help diagnose ischemia by detecting abnormalities in blood flow to the heart.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

cardiovascular disease
Angina pectoris
The myocardial ischemia (reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) that causes angina is due to a disturbance of the balance between heart muscle demands and supply. If demands are reduced sufficiently, the temporarily endangered supply may be adequate. The disturbance of the equilibrium may be…
Read More
The myocardial ischemia (reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) that causes angina is due to a disturbance of the balance between heart muscle demands and supply. If demands are reduced sufficiently, the temporarily endangered supply may be adequate. The disturbance of the equilibrium may be…
Read More