Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

What is another name for a heart attack?

1. Cardiac compromise

2. Coronary occlusion

3. Myocardial rupture

4. Acute myocardial infarction

The correct answer is: Acute myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction is the medical term that specifically describes a heart attack. During a heart attack, the blood flow to a part of the heart muscle becomes blocked, often due to a blood clot, leading to damage to the heart tissue. The phrase "acute myocardial infarction" denotes that the condition is sudden (acute) and that it involves the heart muscle (myocardial) being damaged (infarction) due to inadequate blood supply. While terms like cardiac compromise and coronary occlusion may describe related conditions, they are not precise terms for a heart attack itself. Cardiac compromise indicates a more general decline in heart function, and coronary occlusion refers to the blockage in the coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack but is not synonymous with the event itself. Myocardial rupture describes a severe and rare complication that can occur after a heart attack, rather than being another name for the heart attack itself. Thus, acute myocardial infarction is the most accurate and specific terminology for heart attack.