Q. What are the major causes of a myocardial infarction?
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The major causes of a myocardial infarction are atherosclerosis, coronary artery spasm, and thromboembolism. Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty deposits on the inner walls of arteries. This buildup narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow to the heart.
Coronary artery spasm is a sudden and temporary narrowing of one or more coronary arteries. This spasm can restrict blood flow to the heart and cause a myocardial infarction. A thromboembolism is a blood clot that breaks loose from its location in the body and travels to an artery in the heart, where it blocks blood flow and causes a myocardial infarction.