What is a heart attack?

What is a heart attack?

The normal heart
The human heart is only the size of a fist, but it is the strongest muscle in the body. With every heartbeat, the heart pumps blood, carrying oxygen and nutrients, to all parts of the body. The heart beats about 70 times a minute in a person at rest. The heart rate increases when we are active or when we feel strong emotions.

A heart attack
The heart itself gets oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels called the coronary arteries. When the blood flow to the heart is cut off, the decrease in the supply of oxygen and nutrients can cause lasting damage to this vital organ. When the blockage is sudden, it is called a heart attack.

If the blockage is only partial and the blood flow to the heart is decreased, it can cause chest pain called angina. It  may not cause lasting damage to the heart muscle, but it is a warning sign that a person could develop a major heart attack.

A heart attack may also be called a myocardial infarction or coronary thrombosis. Other terms you may come across include: Coronary heart disease, Ischemic heart disease, Coronary artery disease, or Angina pectoris.

Heart Attack Facts

Heart Attack Facts

    * 12.5 million of an estimated 32 million heart attacks worldwide are fatal
    * 40-75% of all victims die before reaching hospital
    * 50% wait for 2 hours or more before getting help
    * 52 people in USA die due to heart attack every minute making it 1,259 per day, 8,843 per week and 459,840 per year
    * Heart diseases kill more women than men in America every year. Women beat men by approx. 50,000
    * 38 percent of women die within a year after having a heart attack, as compared to 25 percent of men.
    * One in five females has some form of heart or blood vessel disease.
    * The risk of second heart attack within six years of the first heart attack is estimated to be 35% in women and 18% in men
    * South Asians men are more prone to heart attacks at a much younger age in comparison to people belonging to other ethnic groups
    * It is estimated that worldwide 15.6 million people have rheumatic heart disease and that there are 470,000 new cases of rheumatic fever and 233,000 deaths attributable to rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease each year – mostly in developing countries
    * High blood pressure is called the "silent killer." High blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure
    * You can lessen the risk of heart attacks by certain lifestyle modifications – e.g. smoking, obesity, alcohol intake, physical inactivity and stress.
    * You can add up to 5 years to your life expectancy by quitting smoking - the earlier the age at which you quit the better
    * Eating fish once a week can reduce your chances of a heart attack by 52%
    * Hostile personalities are at higher risk of developing heart attack
    * Watching the World Cup increases the risk of a heart attack