What does infarction refer to in cardiac terms?

In cardiac terms, infarction specifically refers to the process in which there is necrosis, or death, of myocardial tissue due to a lack of blood supply. This often occurs as a result of a blockage in one or more coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

When significant Q waves are identified on an electrocardiogram (ECG), they are indicative of previous myocardial infarction. These Q waves signify that there has been irreversible damage to a portion of the heart muscle due to prolonged ischemia, resulting in cell death. This understanding is crucial for recognizing and diagnosing the extent of heart damage in patients.

Other concepts like decreased blood flow to tissue, acute damage indicated by STEMI, or inverted T waves related to ischemia are important but do not fully capture the essence of what infarction signifies in this context. Decreased blood flow refers to ischemia, while acute damage with STEMI reflects the ongoing process that can lead to infarction. Inverted T waves may indicate ischemia or other issues but do not specifically denote tissue death, which is the hallmark of infarction. Thus, identifying necrosis and its correlation with significant Q waves is why this option is the most accurate definition of infarction in cardiac terms.