What is myocardial ischemia?

24 September 2025

Myocardial ischemia is a condition in which the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, preventing proper oxygenation.

What is Myocardial Ischemia?

It is a heart condition that occurs gradually or suddenly when an artery becomes partially or completely narrowed or blocked, decreasing the amount of oxygen reaching the heart. This can lead to a heart attack, arrhythmias, or cardiac tissue death.

Myocardial ischemia, also known as cardiac ischemia, can be caused by the following conditions:

Atherosclerosis
Blood clots
Coronary artery spasms
Several risk factors may contribute to the development of myocardial ischemia, including:
- High triglyceride levels
- History of heart attacks
- High cholesterol
- Excessive alcohol or drug use
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Overweight and obesity
- Smoking

Signs and symptoms Myocardial Ischemia

Symptoms may not always be present—this is referred to as silent ischemia or silent heart attack. However, common symptoms include:

Chest pain or pressure, mostly on the left side
Pain in the arm
Jaw pain
Neck pain
Fatigue
Rapid heartbeat
Nausea
Vomiting
Shortness of breath
Excessive sweating

Myocardial ischemia can lead to arrhythmia, heart attack, or heart failure.

Diagnosis Myocardial Ischemia

After reviewing your symptoms and medical history, your doctor will conduct a physical examination and may request a series of tests to rule out other conditions and confirm the diagnosis, such as:

Coronary angiography
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Stress test
Computed tomography (CT) scan

Myocardial Ischemia Treatment

The main goal of treatment is to restore blood flow to the heart muscle and prevent serious complications like acute myocardial infarction. Treatment may include medications, interventional procedures, or surgery, depending on the severity of the condition and the patient’s individual needs.

Medications can help dilate the coronary arteries, reduce the heart’s oxygen demand, improve coronary perfusion, or prevent clot formation. They also aim to lower cholesterol levels and stabilize atheromatous plaques to reduce cardiovascular risk.

In more advanced cases, or when medication alone is ineffective, interventional procedures such as coronary angioplasty and stent placement may be used to open blocked arteries and improve blood flow.

For patients with extensive or multiple coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is often performed.

Additionally, lifestyle changes are a fundamental part of treatment, including managing high blood pressure, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.

At the Vascular, Arterial, and Venous Disease Department of Saludora Medical Center, we offer specialized care. Contact us!

Treatment Myocardial Ischemia

Myocardial ischemia is a condition in which the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, preventing proper oxygenation.

What is Myocardial Ischemia?

Myocardial ischemia, also known as cardiac ischemia, can be caused by the following conditions:

Atherosclerosis
Blood clots
Coronary artery spasms
Several risk factors may contribute to the development of myocardial ischemia, including:
- High triglyceride levels
- History of heart attacks
- High cholesterol
- Excessive alcohol or drug use
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Overweight and obesity
- Smoking

Fuentes:

How can we help you?

Ricardo Ostos

Content Creator

Ricardo can convey complex medical information in an accessible and friendly way so that all of our patients can understand and benefit from it. In addition, he has an empathetic approach, offering information and practical advice that really makes a difference in people's lives. #lifebringsustogether.

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The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the Saludora Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is myocardial ischemia?

What is Myocardial Ischemia?

Signs and symptoms Myocardial Ischemia

Diagnosis Myocardial Ischemia

Myocardial Ischemia Treatment

Treatment Myocardial Ischemia

What is Myocardial Ischemia?

Fuentes:

Ricardo Ostos

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Specialist in Myocardial Ischemia