Heart Attack and Significant Myocardial Functions

The heart, also known as myocardium, refers to a cone-shaped muscular organ in most multicellular organisms of kingdom Animalia such as human beings and most animals involved with pumping blood to different parts of the body through vessels of the circulatory system. The term myocardium stems from two Latin words meaning muscles and Cardium meaning heart (Bax et al., 2012). The blood supply functions as a source of oxygen and nutrition to the various cellular body systems as well as an agent through which the body gets rid of some of its metabolic wastes. 

The location of the heart in human beings is the middle mediastinum (central compartment of the thoracic cavity) between T5 and T8 thoracic vertebrae with variance in size. The ribcage and the sternum provide protection to the heart against external forces that may result in traumatic injuries (Bax et al., 2012). The heart is mostly felt around the left side of the body because the left side of the heart has stronger and larger muscles as it is involved in pumping blood throughout the body.

The variance between the size and weight of the heart result from the various activities an individual embarks on. Like any other organ in the body, the heart also requires nutrition and oxygenation as well as waste removal facilitated through blood supply for an efficient involuntary contraction of the myocardial muscles. The heart receives blood supply from two main blood vessels known as the left main coronary artery and the right coronary artery (Florence et al., 2014). 

The left coronary artery supplies oxygenated blood to the various parts of the heart such as the heart wall and the septum of the left ventricle through its branches. The right coronary artery, on the other hand, provides oxygenated blood supply to the right atrium, right ventricle, and lower posterior portions of the left ventricle. Additionally, the right coronary artery provides oxygenated blood supply to the atrioventricular node and the sinoatrial node in most people.

A hearts attack, also known as myocardial infarction, refers to a fatal medical condition categorized under a medical emergency that results from blockage of single or multiple branches of these blood vessels compromising blood supply to the heart muscle. Subsequently, the heart muscles are also known as myocardium, experience low oxygenation, a condition known as asphyxia consequently leading to necrosis of the heart muscles and hence extensive damage to the heart (Florence et al., 2014). 

As such, significant myocardial functions such as pumping blood through the body that ensures oxygen circulation is impaired leading to the death of the various body tissues because of low oxygen. Heart attacks often manifest as severe chest pains and discomfort similar to heartburns occasionally lasting for some minutes or so. The severity of the attack results ranges from mild characterized by partial blockage of the coronary artery resulting in reduced blood flow and low heart damage allowing the heart to pump blood normally (Florence et al., 2014). Major attacks, on the other hand, are characterized by extensive blockage of the coronary arteries resulting in a significant reduction in the heart