A heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction) is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen, causing injury to the heart muscle. Injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain and chest pressure sensation. If blood flow is not restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack usually is "complete." The dead heart muscle is eventually replaced by scar tissue.
Reasons for heart attack
Reasons for heart attack
- Smoking
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Peripheral artery disease
- Obesity
- Chest pain (angina)
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations (skipped beats or a racing or pounding heart)
- Leg swelling
- Bluish skin color (cyanosis)
- A prolonged, unexplained cough
- Coughing up blood
- Persistent fatigue or feeling unwell Resource: TropT
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