What Is a Heart Attack?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Have you ever known someone who had a heart attack?

Some patients survive these events, while others suffer massive heart attacks and die. Your heart needs constant oxygen to continue pumping blood. The heart tissue can die without oxygen.

A heart attack occurs when the supply of oxygenated blood is blocked or stopped. Oxygenated blood is transported through arteries, tough tubes that take blood to the heart.

Arteries may become blocked due to the build-up of waxy plaque. This substance can build up over time and completely block the artery, reducing blood flow to the heart.

When plaque builds up in arteries, it is called atherosclerosis. This condition worsens over time and can be caused by diet and lifestyle.

If arterial blocks are left untreated, the lack of fresh blood supply can lead to a heart attack. Heart attacks can lead to more serious health risks, such as heart failure and an irregular heartbeat, so it is important to treat them immediately!

Heart attacks can occur without warning, so knowing the symptoms can help save lives. The most common warning symptoms for men and women include chest pain or discomfort, discomfort in arms, back, shoulder, neck, or jaw, and shortness of breath.

Some patients show additional symptoms, like cold sweats, nausea, dizziness, and extreme fatigue.

When an individual displays these symptoms, call 911 immediately! The patient must receive medical treatment quickly.

Heart attacks occur frequently in the United States — the current rate is about one per minute! Most heart attacks occur because of a blockage in the artery that prevents adequate blood and oxygen flow to the heart muscle.

It is a severe event, so you need to be educated on the symptoms of heart attacks and be prepared to call emergency services immediately.

• Why do you think it is called a heart attack?
• Can you describe what happens to the heart tissue during a heart attack?
• Based on what you've learned, how can people prevent heart attacks?

In the Got It? section, learn more about strategies people can use to prevent heart attacks.