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infarto

een-FAR-toh/inˈfaɾto/

“infarto” means “heart attack” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

heart attack

Also: myocardial infarction
NounmB1
A stylized, simple red human heart organ clutching its center with a look of sudden, intense pain, indicating a heart attack.

📝 In Action

El doctor dijo que el paciente sufrió un infarto grave.

B1

The doctor said the patient suffered a severe heart attack.

La prevención es clave para reducir el riesgo de infarto.

B2

Prevention is key to reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Sentí un dolor en el pecho, pensé que me daba un infarto.

B1

I felt a pain in my chest, I thought I was having a heart attack.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ataque al corazón (heart attack)
  • trombosis (thrombosis)

Common Collocations

  • sufrir un infarto – to suffer/have a heart attack
  • riesgo de infarto – risk of heart attack

infarction

Also: tissue death (due to lack of blood)
NounmC1formal
A simple cross-section illustration of biological tissue, where most of the tissue is healthy pink, but a distinct, wedge-shaped area is dark brown, representing necrosis or dead tissue.

📝 In Action

El infarto cerebral es causado por la obstrucción de una arteria en el cerebro.

C1

Cerebral infarction (stroke) is caused by the blockage of an artery in the brain.

Se diagnosticó un infarto renal en la biopsia.

C2

A renal infarction was diagnosed in the biopsy.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • infarto cerebral – cerebral infarction (stroke)
  • infarto pulmonar – pulmonary infarction

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "infarto" in Spanish:

heart attack→infarction→myocardial infarction→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: infarto

Question 1 of 1

Which phrase is the most common way to say someone 'had' a heart attack in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
infartar(to cause an infarction) — Verb
infartado(person who has suffered a heart attack) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Medieval Latin term *infarctus*, which was the past participle of the verb *infarcire*, meaning 'to stuff' or 'to block'. Medically, this refers to a blockage of a vessel, preventing blood flow.

First recorded: 18th century (in its modern medical sense)

Cognates (Related words)

English: infarctionItalian: infarto

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'infarto' the same as a stroke?

Not exactly. 'Infarto' on its own usually means a heart attack (myocardial infarction). A stroke is a specific type of infarction that happens in the brain, called 'infarto cerebral' or 'accidente cerebrovascular'.

Is 'ataque al corazón' a more informal way to say 'infarto'?

Yes. Both terms are widely used and understood, but 'ataque al corazón' is the simpler, everyday phrase, while 'infarto' is the specific medical term.