| A
heart attack is injury or death of a part of the heart muscle. It is also called
a ‘myocardial infarction’. There are 2 major ways in which a heart attack can
occur: Blockages get worse: As the blockages get larger there is less blood flow
to the heart muscle. At one point the heart muscle no longer can get the blood
and oxygen it needs. When the blood supply is cut off for more than about 30
minutes, the heart muscle cells begin to die, and a heart attack
occurs.
The atherosclerotic plaque cracks: Most heart attacks are caused
as a result of ‘cracking’ or ‘rupture’ of the plaque (blockage). The plaque
becomes unstable and cracks, forming a blood clot which travels and completely
blocks the flow of blood through the artery, and causes a heart attack.
When we commonly refer to ‘heart disease’ we mean ‘coronary heart
disease’, which happens when blockages build up in the coronary arteries. These
blockages are called atherosclerotic plaques and the process by which they build
up is called atherosclerosis. This is also called ‘coronary artery disease’.
Other forms of heart disease include, valvular heart disease, heart failure, and
disorders of heart rhythm
The
heart is a specialised muscle pump which is designed to move blood around the
body to supply vital organs with oxygen. It is divided into 4 parts known as
chambers. There are two small chambers at the top of the heart (the right atrium
and the left atrium) and two larger chambers at the bottom of the heart ( the
right ventricle and the left ventricle). The left ventricle is the main pumping
chamber.
The heart muscle itself needs
to be supplied with oxygen. This is done through arteries around and through the
heart muscles.
When the bloodflow through one
of these arteries is restricted by a blockage or clot, some of the heart muscle
can be deprived of oxygen and be damaged. For the sufferer this can cause severe
pain in the chest. This is a heart attack or myocardial
infarction.
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