Questions: 28. What is infarction?

Infarction is a medical term that refers to the process of tissue death (necrosis) due to the inadequate blood supply to the affected area. This lack of blood supply, and consequently oxygen, can be caused by various factors such as blockage of a blood vessel by a clot (thrombosis), narrowing of the blood vessels (stenosis), or other forms of vascular obstruction.

The most common and well-known type of infarction is myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, which occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked for a long enough time that part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies. Another example is cerebral infarction, which is a type of stroke caused by the interruption of blood flow to the brain.

In summary, infarction is the death of tissue due to a lack of blood supply, often resulting from blockages or obstructions in the blood vessels.