Heart Attack
About one million people experience a heart attack each year. Though heart attacks claim 400,000 lives annually,the survival rate has improved greatly due to better treatment and increased awareness of their symptoms. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhat Is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in the coronary artery restricts blood flow and leads to the death of the heart muscle. If blood flow is not returned after 20–40 minutes of blood and oxygen deprivation, the heart muscle will begin to experience irreparable damage.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Heart attacks often occur between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., because during these hours there is more adrenaline in the bloodstream, and it’s believed that adrenaline contributes to the formation of clots. Though they are more common in the morning, heart attacks can happen any time of the day.
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For information on heart attacks …
MedlinePlus
hosts an illustrated tutorial published by the Patient Education Institute and the National Library of Medicine that introduces heart attacks, describes the heart’s anatomy, how heart attacks occur, how they differ from angina, and how they are treated. This tutorial stresses the importance of calling 911 in time, even if you’re worried that you’re wrong about having a heart attack. View the interactive Flash tutorial or read the tutorial in a PDF document.
MedicineNet
has a solid overview of heart attacks, covering the basics of their causes, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, prevention, and more. Navigate through the links in the body of the article and check out the “Top 10” heart attack-related articles on the left side of the page. Ask the site’s health experts a question under “Health Extras” on the right of the page (scroll down to find it). There’s a wealth of information here, so be sure to take some time to explore.
For women …
WebMD
's article "Her Guide to a Heart Attack: Recognizing Female Heart Attack Symptoms," illustrates that many women don’t experience the chest-related heart attack symptoms that men do. Women also have more unrecognized heart attacks than men. The article outlines the common female heart attack symptoms and advises women to be strong advocates for their own care: if you experience the symptoms described in the article, dial 911 immediately and be bold in demanding a proper heart-health assessment.
MedicineNet
has an article on the risks of heart attacks in women. While the WebMD article focuses more on symptoms and misdiagnosis in women, MedicineNet acknowledges these factors and goes on to discuss treatment options as well as the correlation between estrogen levels and coronary heart disease in women.
Heart Attack Diagnosis and Treatment
Time matters when it comes to detecting and treating heart attacks. Luckily, modern medicine has yielded several treatments that improve a patient’s prognosis. It remains important to know a heart attack’s signs, however, so that you or a loved one will recognize one when it happens and have the best chance for successful treatment.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. However, for some people the only symptoms experienced are upset stomachs or heartburn.
- Although the majority of men and women experience chest pain or discomfort during a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association, women are more likely than men to have shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
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For warning signs and diagnosis …
The American Heart Association
overviews a heart attack’s warning signs, which include shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest, arms, back, stomach or jaw. Most heart attacks start with mild pain or discomfort, causing people to be unaware of what they’re experiencing, and delay treatment for far too long. At the site users can also look at charts explaining the noninvasive and invasive tests used to diagnose a heart attack. Cardiac catheterization, Thallium stress test, and chest X-ray are among the tests described on these pages.
For treatment …
Revolution Health
describes what kinds of treatments you would likely receive if you experienced a heart attack. Read about the initial response to the ongoing treatment possibilities after the heart attack has been stopped.
MedicineNet
has an in-depth description of the different ways a heart attack can be treated, such coronary-artery stents, nitrates, and clot-dissolving drugs.
The American Heart Association
presents an at-a-glance chart of heart attack treatments such as atherectomy, transmyocardial revascularization, and radiofrequency ablation. Find out what the procedure does, and why it would be chosen.
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