What Causes Heart Attacks
Over 1 million people in the United States suffer from heart attacks annually and unfortunately, if not caught quickly, many of them die as a result. Heart attacks occur when blood and the supply of oxygen is unable to flow through the arteries and into the heart muscle. This can be due to a couple of factors that includes blockage by plaque (deposits of fat-like substances) and coronary artery spasms.
The buildup of plaque is called atherosclerosis and is associated with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). Sometimes, plaque can break out and cause a blood clot, called a thrombus, which can block an artery. Another, but less common cause is a coronary artery spasm when the artery spasms severely and tightens itself shut. These can be in arteries that aren’t undergoing atherosclerosis. What prompts a spasm is unsure, but it can vary from emotional stress to cigarette smoking.
If these blockages are not treated properly or in a timely manner, that part of the heart muscle can die and can lead to long term health problems such as heart failure and arrhythmia and/or permanent heart damage.
