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disease information

Heart Attacks

Causes of a Heart Attack

The most common cause of a heart attack is a blood clot (or thrombosis) which forms inside a coronary artery that supplies the heart with oxygen and nutrients.1 Clots most commonly occur due to pre-existing coronary artery disease. With this disease, fatty deposits or plaques build up inside the coronary artery walls, usually developing gradually over a period of years in one or more places within the arteries.4, 1 The plaques themselves typically have a firm outer shell and a soft inner fatty core.1 If the disease progresses, an area of plaque can break off the artery wall, resulting in a blood clot forming over the ruptured area. If the clot is large enough it can completely block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle via the coronary artery, which will then result in a heart attack.4

Another cause of a heart attack is a severe spasm of the coronary artery. The causes of these spasms are not always known, but can include:4

  • Taking certain drugs, such as cocaine
  • Emotional stress or pain
  • Exposure to extreme cold
  • Smoking

Other less common causes of heart attacks include:4

  • Inflammation of the coronary arteries
  • Microvascular disease - a heart condition in which the small blood vessels of the heart do not function properly

The risks of having a heart attack include both lifestyle factors, such as your diet and the amount of exercise you do, as well as genetic factors such as your age, sex, and your family’s health history. Specifically, these risks include:2

  • Increasing age: men over 45 years and women over 55 years
  • Smoking
  • Being overweight
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol levels
  • A diet high in saturated fats
  • A pre-existing medical condition such as a cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or angina
  • Previous heart attack or heart surgery
  • Not participating in regular exercise
  • A family history of heart disease

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Last Updated 17/06/2009 16:18:14
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