Amyocardial inf arction (commonly referred to as a heart attack), is a necrosis involving a given area of the heart, resulting from complete or very extensive occlusion of a coronary vessel lumen.

It can occur in any area of the heart muscle (however, it most commonly involves the left ventricular wall area), and is most commonly caused by rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. Infarction usually occurs in the morning or by midday.