What is a heart attack?
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is an extremely dangerous condition that happens because you don’t have enough blood flow to some of your heart muscle. This lack of blood flow can occur because of many different factors but is usually related to a blockage in one or more of your heart`s arteries.
Without blood flow, the affected heart muscle will begin to die. If you don’t get blood flow back quickly, a heart attack can cause permanent heart damage and/or death.
A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency. If you think you or someone you’re with is having a heart attack, call 911 (or your local emergency services phone number). Time is critical in treating a heart attack. A delay of even a few minutes can result in permanent heart damage or death.
How common is a heart attack?
Every year, more than 800,000 people in the U.S. have a heart attack. Most heart attacks are due to coronary artery disease, which is the most common cause of death in the United States. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16818-heart-attack-myocardial-infarction)
Symptoms of a heart attack vary. Some people have mild symptoms. Others have severe symptoms. Some people have no symptoms. Common heart attack symptoms include:
Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly
Women may have atypical symptoms such as brief or sharp pain felt in the neck, arm, or back. Sometimes, the first symptom sign of a heart attack is sudden cardiac arrest.
Some heart attacks strike suddenly. But many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. Chest pain or pressure (angina) that keeps happening and doesn't go away with rest may be an early warning sign. Angina is caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20373106)
