A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction happens when a part of the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood.
The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart muscle.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of heart attack. A less common cause is a severe spasm, or sudden contraction, of a coronary artery that can stop blood flow to the heart muscle.
The major symptom of a heart attack are: chest pain or discomfort, feeling weak, light-headed or faint, pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back, pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders and shortness of breath.
If you notice the symptoms of a heart attack in yourself or someone else, call 9-1-1 immediately. The sooner you get to an emergency room, the sooner you can get treatment to reduce the amount of damage to the heart muscle. At the hospital, health care professionals can run tests to find out if a heart attack is happening and decide the best treatment.
Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention