What term describes the death of tissue due to ischemia?

The term that describes the death of tissue due to ischemia is "infarct." Ischemia refers to the inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body, especially the heart muscles. When this condition persists, it can lead to tissue death, or infarction, due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients that normal blood flow provides. An infarct is thus specifically the area of dead tissue that results from this process.

While necrosis is a broader term that refers to the death of cells or tissue in general, including various causes like toxins or infections, it does not exclusively describe tissue death resulting from ischemia. Hypoxia specifically refers to a deficiency in oxygen reaching the tissues but does not inherently imply the immediate tissue death that infarction describes. Ischemia itself is the condition of restricted blood flow, which can lead to infarct when not resolved.

Understanding these terms helps clarify the processes involved in tissue damage and the implications for various medical conditions.