Myocardial infarction (
MI) or
acute myocardial infarction (
AMI), commonly known as a
heart attack, occurs when
blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the
heart muscle. The most common symptom is
chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes. The discomfort may occasionally feel like
heartburn. Other symptoms may include
shortness of breath, nausea,
feeling faint, a
cold sweat, or
feeling tired. About 30% of people have atypical symptoms, with women more likely than men to present atypically. Among those over 75 years old, about 5% have had an MI with little or no history of symptoms. An MI may cause
heart failure, an
irregular heartbeat, or
cardiac arrest.