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From:
Subject: Re: [MEDI-GENE] myocardial infarction
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 14:26:17 EDT


Hi Julie,

Myocardial infarction - heart muscle dies due to lack of oxygen (heart
attack)

Ischaemic heart disease - ischaemia means heart muscle isn't getting enough
oxygen (this can be sudden or long standing)

Diverticular abcess embolus/aortic bifurcation - because she died of a heart
attack, this probably means she had an abcess in the wall of her aorta (the
major artery leaving the heart) where it divides and one branch goes back to
the heart. An embolus is a blood clot.

Your grandmother probably had "mild" ishaemic heart disease for some time.
She probably died of a heart attack caused when a blood clot broke loose from
her aorta, went into the blood vessels which nourish the heart muscle,
blocked one of them which stopped the blood supply to that area, and the area
became ishaemic and the heart muscle ceased to function.

I hope this helps. If I can answer anything more clearly, please ask.

Sandy Field
Sacramento

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