What term describes the death of heart muscle?

The term that describes the death of heart muscle is necrosis. Necrosis refers to the premature death of cells in living tissue due to factors such as injury, infection, or insufficient blood supply. In the context of heart muscle, when the blood flow is significantly reduced or blocked, the cells start to die, which is specifically referred to as cardiac necrosis.

In contrast, ischemia refers to a condition where there is a lack of blood flow to a tissue, which may lead to necrosis if the blood supply is not restored in time. Angina is characterized by chest pain or discomfort due to temporary reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, but it does not involve muscle death. Infarction specifically refers to the area of tissue that is dead due to necrosis as a result of ischemia; while related, it describes the aftermath rather than the process of cellular death itself. Therefore, necrosis correctly identifies the process of heart muscle death.