A medical emergency in which part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies because its blood supply is severely reduced or interrupted.
A heart attack is medically called a myocardial infarction (MI). It most commonly occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked, often after an atherosclerotic plaque ruptures and a blood clot forms. Symptoms can include chest pressure or discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or discomfort spreading to the arm, back, neck, or jaw. Some people, particularly older adults and people with diabetes, may have less typical symptoms.
QUICK FACT
A heart attack is not the same as cardiac arrest. A heart attack is primarily a problem of blood supply to heart muscle; cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops pumping effectively.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Cardiac arrest: sudden loss of effective heart pumping, which may result from an arrhythmia, heart attack, or other causes.
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