During a heart attack, the heart muscle is permanently damaged. The medical term for a heart attack is myocardial infarction which literally means, "death of heart muscle" - "myo" is Greek for muscle, cardial from the Greek kardia meaning heart and infarction sudden loss of blood supply causing death of tissue.Our heart needs a steady supply of blood that is rich in oxygen and nutrients to function. Our heart is surrounded by arteries. Through the years, as we eat cholesterol-rich food, they accumulate in our arteries and become deposits called plaque. This causes the arteries to become narrow, obstructing the passage of blood to the heart. Related article: Heart attack causes Plaque deposits are hard outside and soft on the inside because of fats. When the plaques rupture, platelets surge to the area, causing blood clots. Blood clots block the passage of blood, causing the heart to be starved of oxygen. When this happens, heart muscle is damaged and hea...