eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

  • Bookmark and Share

Heart Attack

    Heart Attack Editor's Picks

    • How to Tell if Someone is Having a Heart Attack

      A heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in the world. A heart attack can be caused by many things, but is usually caused by a clogging of an artery. Whatever the cause may be, it is important to know the signs so that either you or the person that is experiencing the symptoms can get help as soon as possible. more »

    • Women Heart Attack Symptoms

      Each year in the United States, more women than men die of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Heart disease may result in a heart attack, a condition in which reduced blood flow to the heart leads to the damage or death of heart tissue.

      For both women and men, the most common symptom of a heart attack is pressure,... more »

    • Signs of a Mild Heart Attack

      Knowing and recognizing the signs of a heart attack can save a person's life. If the signs are detected soon enough, what could be a serious heart attack can turn into a mild heart attack. The signs of a heart attack can be slightly different for women than for men. The early signs of a heart attack might also be less noticeable for a... more »

    • Heart Attack Symptoms for Women

      Heart attacks can be serious, if not fatal, when symptoms are ignored. The first tell-tale sign of a heart attack is chest pain, but unlike men, women can experience other symptoms of a heart attack. A heart attack in women is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are often disregarded as those of a cold or the flu. It is important... more »

    • Heart Attack Signs in Women

      Men are more likely to experience a heart attack. Because of this, many women don't think about it happening to them. The fact is that it can and does happen to women and the symptoms of these heart attacks are not the same as mens. Women need to know what the symptoms are so that they can be prepared in knowing what to do. They may... more »

    Heart Attack Quick Guides

    Heart Attack Articles

    Wikipedia

    Myocardial infarction

    -
    | ICD9
    | MedlinePlus 000195
    | eMedicineSubj med
    | eMedicineTopic 1567
    | eMedicine_mult
    | MeshID D009203
    }}

    Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, is the interruption of blood supply to part of the heart, causing some heart cells to die. This is most commonly due to occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery following the rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, which is an unstable collection of lipids (fatty acids) and white blood cells (especially macrophages) in the wall of an artery. The resulting ischemia (restriction in blood supply) and oxygen shortage, if left untreated for a sufficient period of time, can cause damage or death (infarction) of heart muscle tissue (myocardium).

    Classical symptoms of acute myocardial infarction include sudden chest pain (typically radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety (often described as a sense of impending doom). Women may experience fewer typical symptoms than men, most commonly shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue."Kosuge"> Approximately one quarter of all myocardial infarctions are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms. A heart attack is a medical emergency, and people experiencing chest pain are advised to alert their emergency medical services because prompt protection with an external defibrillator can save ones life from primary ventricular fibrillation which occurs unexpectedly in 10% of all myocardial infarctions especially during the first hours of symptoms. Contemporary treatment of many myocardial infarctions can result in survival and even good outcomes. While it is true that certain less amenable cases are very massive and rapidly fatal "widowmakers", it is also true that in small attacks with limited damage and optimal treatment the heart muscle can b read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial+infarction

    Related Ads

    Heart Attack People & Community

    Connect with people who share your interest by joining one of our Groups:

    Topic Contributors
    Get Free Health Newsletters

    Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

    Demand Media