A myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a heart attack, occurs when there is a lack of blood flow to the heart caused by an obstruction of the coronary artery. Usually caused by coronary heart disease in which a process called atherosclerosis occurs. This is where a waxy substance called plaque builds up in the artery walls. Not all symptoms are the same, they can range from chest pain to pain in the upper body, such as the upper limbs. There are three different ways to diagnose an individual with a heart attack: an electrocardiogram, a blood test, and an angiography. After MI is diagnosed, it can be treated with clot-busting medications, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous intervention on the artery. Once the patient has been treated, he will still have difficulty doing things as he did before. This is where occupational therapy comes in to help with cardiac rehabilitation. They work very carefully using special tools to evaluate the patient's heart rhythm and maintain the balance between rest and activity to help during the formation of scar tissue. They will do different techniques such as gradual exercises to help strengthen the heart muscle. They will also work with the patient on energy conservation, precautions, and educating him and his family on other important information that will aid recovery and prevent another myocardial infarction. Occupational therapy plays a very important role when it comes to bringing an individual back to everyday life as much as possible. A myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a heart attack, is very serious. The consequences of a myocardial infarction and the effects it causes on the body can affect an individual's daily life in many ways. In this article we will go into more depth about what really happens with a myocardial infarction, what it affects and how it is dealt with... half of the article... those who suffer from myocardial infarction can and want to recover to independent functioning and increase the quality of life in the best possible way. (Pedretti, L.W, 1996). Works Cited Atchison, B., & Dirette, D. (2012). Condition in occupational therapy: effect on occupational performance. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Early, M. B. (2012). Practical physical dysfunction skills for the occupational therapy assistant. Sl: Elsevier Mosby.Pedretti, L.W. (1996). Occupational therapy: Practical skills for physical dysfunction (4th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.Trombly, C., & Radomski, M. (2001). Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction (5th edition ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. What is a heart attack?. (n.d.). - NHLBI, NIH. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartattack/