Heart attack
Overview
• A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood
to the heart is blocked. The blockage is most
often a build up of fat, cholesterol and other
substances, which form a plaque in the
arteries that feed the heart (coronary
arteries).
• The plaque eventually breaks away and forms
a clot. The interrupted blood flow can damage
or destroy part of the heart muscle.
Heart attack symptoms vary
Not all people who have heart attacks have
the same symptoms or have the same severity
of symptoms. Some people have mild pain;
others have more severe pain. Some people
have no symptoms; for others, the first sign
may be sudden cardiac arrest.
Causes
• A heart attack occurs when one or more of your coronary
arteries become blocked. Over time, a coronary artery can
narrow from the build up of various substances, including
cholesterol (atherosclerosis). This condition, known as
coronary artery disease, causes most heart attacks.
• During a heart attack, one of these plaques can rupture
and spill cholesterol and other substances into the
bloodstream. A blood clot forms at the site of the rupture.
If large enough, the clot can block the flow of blood
through the coronary artery, starving the heart muscle of
oxygen and nutrients (ischemia).
Causes
• You might have a complete blockage or partial. A
complete blockage means you've had an ST elevation
myocardial infarction (STEMI). A partial blockage
means you've had a non-ST elevation myocardial
infarction (NSTEMI). Diagnostic steps and treatment
might be different depending on which you've had.
• Another cause of a heart attack is a spasm of a
coronary artery that shuts down blood flow to part
of the heart muscle. Using tobacco and illicit drugs,
such as cocaine, can cause a life-threatening spasm.
Risk factors
• Age
• Tobacco
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Family history of heart attack
• Lack of physical activity
• Stress
• Drug use
• An autoimmune condition
Complications
• Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Electrical "short
circuits" can develop, resulting in abnormal heart
rhythms, some of which can be serious, even fatal.
• Heart failure. An attack might damage so much heart
tissue that the remaining heart muscle can't pump
enough blood out of your heart. Heart failure can be
temporary, or it can be a chronic condition resulting from
extensive and permanent damage to your heart.
• Sudden cardiac arrest. Without warning, your heart
stops due to an electrical disturbance that causes an
arrhythmia. Heart attacks increase the risk of sudden
cardiac arrest, which can be fatal without immediate
treatment.
Prevention
• Medications. Taking medications can reduce
your risk of a subsequent heart attack and
help your damaged heart function better.
• Lifestyle factors. Maintain a healthy weight
with a heart-healthy diet, don't smoke,
exercise regularly, manage stress and control
conditions that can lead to heart attack, such
as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and
diabetes.
Thank you
