Introduction
Death of heart-muscle cells from reduced or obstructed blood flow through the coronary arteries. Coronary arteries involve the heart muscle, platelets and clotting factors circulating in the blood. Most often affects adults over 40. This is more common in men, but the incidence is rising for women
Heart disease – the cause of heart attack – is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States. The onset of heart disease is later in women than men due to the protective effects of female hormones before menopause. Women are also more likely to have additional health conditions (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) that increase their risk for more heart attacks.
A heart attack is usually caused by a complete blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot forming. This occurs when there is advanced coronary artery disease in which the blood vessel, containing fatty deposits, is damaged. This encourages a blood clot to form on the damaged surface inside the artery.
A coronary artery is an artery that supplies blood (along with essential nutrients) to the heart muscle. Chest pain or pressure is a common symptom of heart attack, but can also be a symptom of many other conditions. Cardiac chest pain is often vague, or dull, and may be described as a pressure or constricting band-like sensation, squeezing, heaviness, or other discomfort.
- Around 1 in 38 people in the US have experienced a heart attack, or myocardial infarction.
- There are an estimated 1.1 million new and recurrent cases of heart attack each year.
- The average age of a person experiencing a first heart attack is 65.8 years for men and 70.4 years for women.
In men, the risk of having a heart attack increases after age 45; in women, the risk increases after age 55........
