A [tag]heart attack[/tag] happens when the heart muscle does not receive blood or its blood supply is greatly reduced to the point that heart tissue is destroyed. The medical term for heart attack is myocardial infarction that refers to the death of heart tissue and muscle due to a lack of oxygen.
Heart Needs Blood To Stay Healthy
A healthy heart receives a constant source of blood as a part of its function and it needs this fresh supply of blood to stay healthy. In a healthy circulation system, the heart pushes oxygen rich blood to the body and the heart itself through arteries and veins bring the oxygen low blood back to the heart. When the heart is denied its blood supply through a blockage or rupture, this can cause serious problems.
Coronary Artery Disease
Atherosclerosis is a medical condition that results from plaque build up in the arteries and is commonly known as hardening of the arteries. When atherosclerosis occurs in one the arteries that supply oxygen rich blood to the heart, it is called coronary artery disease and this condition is one of the leading causes of heart attacks.
When there is a blockage caused by a blood clot in one of the coronary arteries that bring oxygen rich blood to the heart, this can cause a heart attack. Heart cells can be damaged or die because of a lack of blood and the damage may cause scar tissue to form which is not a suitable replacement for the flexible and healthy normal heart tissue, which can worsen the health of the heart.
Blood Clots And Heart Attacks
A heart attack may be caused from a blood clot from within the heart travelling to another area in the heart and clogging an artery. A spasm of the coronary artery may also cause a heart attack.
Irregular heart rhythms may also be caused when there is a lack of blood to the heart and the irregular heart rhythms may contribute to the negative effects of a heart attack. When the heart cannot get enough blood, it causes pain to the heart that can be felt in the chest area as pressure, tightening or squeezing.
A heart attack is a condition in which the heart is subjected to a decreasing amount of oxygen rich blood, which causes more damage as time ticks by so it is necessary to be able to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack so that medical help can be sought immediately.
