Heart Attack
Alternate Names : Myocardial Infarction, MI
A heart attack occurs when the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen. This causes
cells of the heart tissue to die.
What is going on in the body?
Coronary arteries supply blood and oxygen to the heart. When these arteries do
not deliver enough oxygen to the heart muscle, pain results. This pain is known
as angina. If the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen for a long enough period of
time, the heart cells begin to die. This results in a heart attack.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of heart attacks. Fatty deposits build up along the inner wall of the artery. The narrowing of the coronary arteries is known as coronary heart disease. It reduces the
amount
of oxygen-rich blood that can reach the heart. Some risk factors for
developing a heart attack are:
diabetes
family history of coronary artery
disease
high blood pressure, also called hypertension
high cholesterol
lack of exercise
obesity
smoking
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