What is the end point of ischemia that leads to myocardial infarction?

The end point of ischemia that leads to myocardial infarction is the necrosis of heart tissue. Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when there is a prolonged deprivation of oxygen to the heart muscle due to inadequate blood supply—often caused by blockage of a coronary artery. This oxygen deprivation ultimately leads to cellular damage and death, termed necrosis, as the heart muscle cells are unable to sustain normal metabolic functions without sufficient oxygen.

While oxygen deprivation is a precursor to myocardial infarction, it is the subsequent necrosis that defines the infarction itself. Cardiac hypertrophy, which involves an increase in heart muscle mass, and arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats, can occur due to various cardiac conditions but are not direct endpoints of ischemia leading specifically to myocardial infarction.

Therefore, understanding that the final and critical change in tissue due to ischemia is necrosis helps clarify why this is identified as the decisive factor in myocardial infarction.