Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) Practice exam

The correct sequence of myocardial infarction progression is Ischemia, Injury, and then Infarction. Ischemia refers to the lack of blood flow to the cardiac tissue, which leads to a deficiency of oxygen and nutrients necessary for the heart muscle to function effectively. When ischemia occurs, the affected cardiac cells begin to experience stress and damage due to the insufficient supply of oxygen. If this ischemic condition persists without restoration of blood flow, it evolves into the next stage, which is injury. This stage is characterized by more significant cellular damage and the beginning of cell death processes, though some cardiac tissue may still be salvageable if blood flow is restored in time. Finally, if the injury continues and blood flow is not restored, the tissue progresses to infarction, where there is irreversible damage and death of heart muscle cells. At this point, a myocardial infarction has occurred, resulting in the loss of function of the affected area of the heart. Understanding this progression is essential for recognizing the critical nature of timely medical intervention in cases of heart attacks, as early treatment can restore blood flow and potentially prevent full myocardial infarction.