Exact meaning of ischaemic heart disease? Professional interpretation pls?

[theothersideofmidnight]

I've today received my Dad's death certificate. We were estranged when he died (no fault of either of us) so I wasn't there at the end to know what happened.

The certificate states causes of death as
1a - ischaemic heart disease
1b - coronery [sic] artery atherosclerosis
And
2 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

I know Dad had emphysema, hence reason #2, but can someone please tell me what 1a means in a doctor's or coroner's terms? Does it mean that my Dad literally suffered a heart attack and died or that the general condition of his heart caused him to fade away?
I don't even know quite why I feel the need to know, I simply know that I need to.

I'm sorry if this makes little sense. I've been aware of his death for some time but it kind of hits you when you see it all in black and white. Thank you for reading and, in advance, for replying.

I thought they would say myocardial infarction if they meant heart attack.

ischaemic heart disease = inadequate blood flow to heart, which can cause heart attack but might cause other things, too.

My understanding is that this would mean his arteries were stiffened and narrowed. This reduces blood flow to the heart muscle which can weaken and damage it over time. It would be some that hat happened gradually over time rather than all at once.

Had he died of a heart attack, the death certificate would likely have said MI. IHD is plaqued, stiffened coronary arteries which do not allow for sufficient blood supply to the heart. Sounds like heart failure and as you said, COPD.

Thank you all very much. Please accept my apologies for the late reply. I got, as Dad used to say, "overtaken by events".
Thank you.