What Causes a Heart Attack?The medical term for heart attack is myocardial infarction. A heart attack is also sometimes called a coronary thrombosis or coronary occlusion.
The heart is a muscle that acts as a pump. The heart pumps blood, rich in carbon dioxide and depleted of oxygen, through the lungs. The lungs remove carbon and add oxygen. Once oxygenated, the blood returns to the heart to be
pumped to the rest of the body. After blood circulates through body tissues, it is returned to the heart and the process is repeated.
The heart muscle requires a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood to nourish it. Most heart attacks occur as a result of coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is the buildup over time of a material called plaque on the inner walls of the coronary arteries. The plaque deposits are hard on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. With blood flow impeded, the heart becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain. (angina). If a blood clot forms and completely obstructs the artery, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) can occur.
If the blood supply is cut off for more than a few minutes, muscle cells suffer permanent injury and die. This can kill or disable someone, depending on how much heart muscle is damaged.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
* Chest pain, discomfort, pressure, squeezing or fullness
* Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw or stomach
* Shortness of breath
* Feeling sweaty, nauseous or lightheaded
Not all these symptoms happen in every heart attack. Heart attack symptoms may start slowly and gradually get worse or they may go away and come back.
If your heart disease is severe, or if your chest pain and other symptoms can't be controlled with medicines, you may need to think about other treatment, such as:
* Angioplasty.
* Stenting.
* Atherectomy.
* Coronary artery bypass surgery.
These treatments, along with making changes like eating right and not smoking, can help you live a longer, healthier life. If your disease becomes much worse, it can lead to serious medical problems. Many important end-of-life decisions can be made while you are active and able to communicate your wishes.
