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The heart on the left of the slide, shows signs of prolonged deterioration. The rounded shape demonstrates the wear and tear. Also, you will notice the fatty buildup on the inside of one of the "coronary arteries." The artery has been cut open so you can see the inside. Besides the build up of "atherosclerotic plaque" you can also see a blood clot which "occluded" the artery causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction). An infarct is an area of destruction, that is, a portion of the heart actually dies. If the portion is large enough, the person will not survive. If the person survives, the heart tissue affected by the heart attack will scar over and the rest of the heart will compensate.

On the right half of the slide you see a cross section of an artery that has been magnified many times. From this view you can clearly see the buildup of fat on the inner walls of the artery

Photographs above copyrighted by HEALTH EDCO, INC., Waco, Texas 76702-1207. Permission for limited use granted October, 1997.