If you require emergency medical attention, please call 911 to access your local emergency services.

Heart Attack Heart Cold sweats Chest discomfort Chest pressure Dizziness Chest pain spreading to the neck, shoulder or jaw Nausea Shortness of breath Back or jaw pain Epigastric discomfort Unexplained fatigue Blocked heart vessel

Overview

What Is a Heart Attack?

man-pressing-hand-into-chest-heart-attack

A heart attack, also known as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is an urgent message from your heart that it’s starved for oxygen. When a clot blocks a heart vessel, oxygen-rich blood can’t reach your heart. As a result, heart muscle begins to die and symptoms of a heart attack begin.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women. Learn the symptoms of a heart attack so you are better prepared to act in an emergency. Quick access to medical care can minimize damage to the heart muscle and improve the outcome.

Related Resources

Acute Coronary Syndrome
Beta-Adrenergic Blocking Brochure : Learn important information about this medication.
CPR and Defibrillators: CPR may help you save the life of someone who goes into cardiac arrest. Learn more about CPR by taking this quiz.
Nonsurgical Treatment Options for Heart Attack: Not everyone who has had a heart attack needs open-heart surgery, such as a bypass operation. A procedure known as angioplasty can help unblock arteries. And people can do well with medication, gradual exercise, and healthy lifestyle changes.
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack: Acute chest pain is the most common warning sign of heart attacks in both Men and Women.

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Overview

What Is a Heart Attack?

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