What Is a Heart Attack?

Series Summary

A heart attack occurs when oxygen fails to enter the heart muscle. The most common reason is do to a blockage in a coronary artery, which is the leading cause of heart disease. Risk factors for heart disease include age, tobacco smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and diabetes. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death. It is estimated that as many as one in five Americans will die from heart disease. And, the first heart attack can kill. Forty percent of Americans who experience their first heart attack will die. This is why it is extremely important to identify the signs of heart attack as soon as possible, and call help immediately. In this free video series, learn how to identify a heart attack. Our expert, Michael Herbert, is a certified emergency medical technician (EMT). He discusses the common signs of heart disease. Learn the risk factors associated with heart attacks, and learn how to prevent them. Once a heart attack is suspected, learn how to respond quickly and effectively. Also, determine how to identify a cardiac arrest victim. By knowing some of these lifesaving skills, decrease the likelihoods of a damaged heart. Knowledge is the only way to attack this silent killer. So, take a moment, and learn more about heart attacks right now.

Video Transcript

"We're here today to talk about heart attacks. What happens when your body is having a heart attack, how you can recognize that you're having a heart attack, and what you should do. In medical terminology a heart attack is referred to as a myocardial infarction, which literally translated, means death of your heart muscle from a deprivation of oxygen. This occurs when blood flow to a certain part of your heart is obstructed, usually from a clot. When this happens, your heart muscle starts to die because it has a lack of oxygen, and vital blood flow that the heart muscles desperately need. It usually you'll experience the classic signs of chest pains, and this can happen to anybody at any age, but predominantly is seen in men over forty and women over fifty. When this occurs, you need to immediately seek medical attention, because it is a life-threatening event."