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Heart Attack
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/heartattack.html

Heart Attack

Also called: MI, Myocardial infarction
On this page

Basics

  • Summary
  • Start Here
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis and Tests
  • Prevention and Risk Factors
  • Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

  • Living With
  • Related Issues
  • Specifics

See, Play and Learn

  • Test Your Knowledge

Research

  • Statistics and Research
  • Clinical Trials
  • Journal Articles

Resources

  • Reference Desk
  • Find an Expert

For You

  • Women
  • Older Adults
  • Patient Handouts

Summary

Each year almost 800,000 Americans have a heart attack. A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart suddenly becomes blocked. Without the blood coming in, the heart can't get oxygen. If not treated quickly, the heart muscle begins to die. But if you do get quick treatment, you may be able to prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle. That's why it's important to know the symptoms of a heart attack and call 911 if you or someone else is having them. You should call, even if you are not sure that it is a heart attack.

The most common symptoms in men and women are:

  • Chest discomfort. It is often in center or left side of the chest. It usually lasts more than a few minutes. It may go away and come back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It also can feel like heartburn or indigestion.
  • Shortness of breath. Sometimes this is your only symptom. You may get it before or during the chest discomfort. It can happen when you are resting or doing a little bit of physical activity.
  • Discomfort in the upper body. You may feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach.

You may also have other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. You may break out in a cold sweat. Sometimes women will have different symptoms then men. For example, they are more likely to feel tired for no reason.

The most common cause of heart attacks is coronary artery disease (CAD). With CAD, there is a buildup of cholesterol and other material, called plaque, on their inner walls or the arteries. This is atherosclerosis. It can build up for years. Eventually an area of plaque can rupture (break open). A blood clot can form around the plaque and block the artery.

A less common cause of heart attack is a severe spasm (tightening) of a coronary artery. The spasm cuts off blood flow through the artery.

At the hospital, health care providers make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, blood tests, and different heart health tests. Treatments may include medicines and medical procedures such as coronary angioplasty. After a heart attack, cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle changes can help you recover.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

  • Heart Attack (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
  • new What Does It Mean to Have a Heart Attack? (Harvard Medical School)
  • What Is a Heart Attack? (American Heart Association)
  • What Is a Heart Attack? From the National Institutes of Health Video (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

  • Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Symptoms (American Heart Association)

Diagnosis and Tests

  • new C-reactive Protein Test (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Creatine Kinase From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Isoenzymes Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Troponin Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Warning Signs of a Heart Attack (American Heart Association)

Prevention and Risk Factors

  • Aspirin for Reducing Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke: Know the Facts (Food and Drug Administration)
  • Can Vitamins Help Prevent a Heart Attack? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Halting Heart Attack and Stroke From the National Institutes of Health Also in Spanish
  • How to Prevent Heart Disease: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Lifestyle Changes to Prevent a Heart Attack (American Heart Association)

Treatments and Therapies

  • Angioplasty: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Blood Thinners: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Living With

  • Cardiac Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Attack Recovery Questions and Answers (American Heart Association)
  • How Will I Recover from My Heart Attack? Easy-to-Read (American Heart Association) - PDF
  • When You Visit Your Doctor: After a Heart Attack (Harvard Medical School)

Related Issues

  • Dressler Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Drug-Eluting Stents: Do They Increase Heart Attack Risk? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Differences (American Heart Association) Also in Spanish

Specifics

  • Acute Coronary Syndrome (American Heart Association)
  • Silent Heart Attack: What Are the Risks? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • What Is Cardiogenic Shock? From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Test Your Knowledge

  • Are You At Risk For a Heart Attack? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

  • Heart and Stroke Statistics (American Heart Association)
  • new Heart Attack Research From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • new New Research from Emory University May Revolutionize How Stroke, Heart Attack, Related Blood-Clotting Conditions Are Treated (Emory University)
  • new Risk Score Offers New Way to Assess the Impact That Stress Can Have on the Heart From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • new Why Mental Stress Can Take a Toll on the Heart From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Myocardial Infarction From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Educational Attainment Level and Risk of Mortality and Cardiopulmonary Outcomes in...
  • Article: Secondary analysis of the EMPACT-MI trial reveals cardiovascular-kidney efficacy and safety...
  • Article: Deescalation From Ticagrelor to Clopidogrel for Myocardial Infarction With Chronic Kidney...
  • Heart Attack -- see more articles

Reference Desk

  • Heart Anatomy (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Information Center (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
  • How the Heart Works From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

  • American Heart Association
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute From the National Institutes of Health

Women

  • Calcium Supplements: A Risk Factor for Heart Attack? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Attack and Women (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
  • Heart Attack Symptoms in Women (American Heart Association)
  • Make the Call, Don't Miss a Beat (Heart Attack Information for Women) (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

Older Adults

  • Coronary Artery Disease (Heart Attack) (American Geriatrics Society)

Patient Handouts

  • Being active after your heart attack (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Cardiac catheterization - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Heart attack (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Heart attack - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Learn What a Heart Attack Feels Like From the National Institutes of Health Easy-to-Read (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  • Troponin test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

Heart Attack

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • Acute coronary syndrome
  • Apolipoprotein B100
  • Apolipoprotein CII
  • Being active after your heart attack
  • Cardiogenic shock
  • CPK isoenzymes test
  • Creatine phosphokinase test
  • Heart attack
  • Heart attack - discharge
  • Heart attack - what to ask your doctor
  • Heart attack first aid
  • Heart disease and intimacy
  • Lactate dehydrogenase test
  • LDH isoenzyme blood test
  • Lipoprotein-a
  • Myoglobin blood test
  • Myoglobin urine test
  • Pericarditis - after heart attack
  • Thrombolytic drugs for heart attack
  • Thrombolytic therapy
  • Troponin test

Related Health Topics

  • Angina
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Heart Diseases
  • Heart Health Tests

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Heart Attack is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Heart Attack

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

  • Heart Attacks

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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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