A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is dramatically reduced or stops altogether. This lack of blood and oxygen to the heart can cause important tissues to die if it is not restored quickly. Heart attacks kill more men and women in the United States than any other disease.

Warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack are not the same for everyone. Some people feel severe chest pain while others may feel a slight discomfort or no pain at all. However, most commonly, a person having a heart attack feels something in their chest, arm, back, neck or stomach that lasts a few minutes. It may go away and then come back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath and nausea.

If you think you may be having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Causes

Heart Attacks are typically caused by an excess of plaque in a person’s arteries. This fatty tissue builds up over time. Once it becomes large enough to block an artery, it also blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart causing a heart attack. This lack of oxygen quickly damages the heart muscle.

Diagnosis

The following tests and procedures are commonly used to determine if someone is having a heart attack:

• Electrocardiogram – Certain changes will often appear on a person’s EKG when a heart attack is occurring.
• Blood Tests – Specific enzymes will be elevated during a heart attack.
• Coronary Angiogram – Contrast fluid is injected into the coronary arteries through a catheter. Then, the cardiologist can view the coronary arteries on a screen and identify any blockages.

Treatment

Heart attacks are treated with medicines and interventional procedures such as coronary angioplasty and stent placement. Sometimes, a person will undergo emergency coronary bypass surgery. The typical medicines include aspirin, beta-blockers, anticoagulants, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, nitrates, and cholesterol lowering drugs. These all work to improve a patient’s heart function, to improve circulation, and to keep clots from forming. In the very early stages of a heart attack, a person may be given “clot busting�? medications.