Heart Attack

Damage to the heart muscle caused when the blood vessels supplying the muscle are blocked, such as when the blood vessels are clogged with fats (a condition sometimes called hardening of the arteries).

A heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the blood supply is slowed or stopped. When the heart muscle cannot get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, the part of the heart tissue that is affected may die. Timely and effective treatments for a heart attack, which are essential for patient survival, include appropriate use of thrombolytic therapy to prevent blood clots and revascularization or opening of clogged blood vessels.