What Is a Heart Attack?
Coronary attacks (commonly called heart attacks) result from coronary heart disease (CHD)-blood vessel disease in the heart. Coronary artery disease (CAD) and ischemic heart disease are other names for coronary heart disease. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle itself-the myocardium-is severely reduced or stopped. This occurs when one of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle is blocked. The blockage is usually from the build-up of plaque (deposits of fat-like substances) due to atherosclerosis, and can lead to a heart attack.
Although death rates from heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases have declined slightly in recent years, these illnesses claim one American life every 34 seconds.
What problems may be caused by a heart attack?
Depending upon the severity of both the attack and of the subsequent scarring, a heart attack can lead to any the following: heart failure, irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), cardiac arrest (which could lead to sudden cardiac death), cardiogenic shock (an often-fatal shock-like state), or death.
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