Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician License Practice Test

Myocardial infarction occurs when there is a blockage in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. This obstruction can result from a buildup of plaque, which is a combination of fat, cholesterol, and other substances, or from a blood clot that forms as a result of plaque rupture. When the blood supply is reduced or completely cut off, the affected heart muscle area becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients, leading to the death (necrosis) of those muscle cells. This damage can impair the heart's ability to pump effectively, often resulting in chest pain and other symptoms. Other conditions listed do not specifically describe this process. Heart failure refers to the heart's inability to pump blood effectively but is not directly a result of acute obstruction. Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function, which can occur due to various reasons, including myocardial infarction, but is not specifically focused on the obstruction itself. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can contribute to strokes and other complications but is not characterized by necrosis of heart muscle cells due to blood supply obstruction. In summary, the defining feature of myocardial infarction is the direct consequence of a blocked blood supply to the heart leading to cell death, which is why this choice