Infarcted refers to a medical condition where tissue in the body dies due to an interruption of its blood supply, leading to irreversible damage from lack of oxygen and nutrients. Understanding this condition is important because it can affect various organs and has significant implications for health.
What Infarcted Means
Infarction is the medical term for tissue death that occurs when blood flow to an area is blocked, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching cells. Ischemia, a reduction in blood flow, often precedes infarction. It represents reduced supply, progressing to infarction when prolonged and severe enough that tissue cannot survive.
The duration of blood flow deprivation directly correlates with the extent of tissue damage. Different tissues have varying tolerances to a lack of oxygen; for example, brain cells can suffer damage within minutes, while other tissues might withstand deprivation for a longer period. Once tissue death occurs, the affected area cannot recover its original function and often forms scar tissue.
Common Locations of Infarction
Infarction can occur in various organs, with some locations being more commonly affected and clinically significant. Myocardial infarction, or a heart attack, occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is cut off, often by a coronary artery blockage. This damages heart tissue, impairing its ability to pump blood.
Cerebral infarction, or ischemic stroke, disrupts blood flow to the brain, causing brain cell death. This can result in sudden neurological deficits depending on the affected region. Less common infarctions affect organs like the kidneys, spleen, or intestines. Pulmonary infarction, for instance, occurs when lung tissue dies due to a blocked artery, often from a blood clot.
Causes and Symptoms
Infarction primarily results from an arterial obstruction, often a blood clot (thrombus forming in the vessel, or an embolus traveling from elsewhere). Severe arterial narrowing (atherosclerosis) also reduces blood flow, increasing susceptibility to infarction if a clot forms or blood pressure drops. Prolonged low blood pressure (systemic hypoperfusion) can also cause widespread tissue damage if organs lack sufficient blood.
Symptoms of infarction vary widely depending on the affected organ. A heart attack presents with chest pressure or tightness that may spread to the back, jaw, or arm, along with shortness of breath and sweating. A cerebral infarction causes sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, or sudden vision problems. Pulmonary infarction manifests as sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, and sometimes coughing up blood.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosing an infarction involves medical evaluation, blood tests, and imaging studies. A doctor will conduct a physical examination and review the patient’s symptoms and medical history. Blood tests can detect specific biomarkers released by damaged tissue, such as cardiac troponins for heart attacks. Imaging techniques like electrocardiograms (ECG) for heart activity, CT scans, or MRI scans can visualize the affected area and confirm tissue damage.
Immediate treatment for infarction focuses on restoring blood flow to the deprived tissue as quickly as possible. This involves medications like thrombolytics, clot-busting drugs administered intravenously. Procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery clear blockages or reroute blood flow. Long-term management includes medications like antiplatelets or statins to prevent future clots and reduce cholesterol. Lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and smoking cessation also reduce recurrence risk.