Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)

A myocardial infarction, or heart attack, occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot in a narrowed coronary artery, causing damage to the heart muscle. It is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.

• Chest pain or pressure, often central or left-sided, that may spread to the arm, jaw, neck, or back
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating, nausea, or vomiting
• Lightheadedness or a sense of impending doom
• Symptoms can be less typical in women, older adults, and people with diabetes, sometimes presenting mainly as fatigue or breathlessness

• Usually caused by a blood clot forming on a ruptured fatty plaque in a coronary artery, suddenly blocking blood flow to part of the heart muscle.
• Major risk factors include smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, and a family history of early heart disease.

• Diagnosed urgently using an electrocardiogram (ECG) to look for characteristic changes, together with blood tests measuring heart muscle injury markers.
• Rapid assessment and diagnosis are critical, as time to treatment strongly affects outcomes.

Any suspected heart attack requires immediate emergency care — the person should be transported urgently to a hospital capable of managing acute cardiac events; aspirin is given as soon as possible if not contraindicated.

Depending on the type of heart attack and facility capability, treatment may involve clot-dissolving medicine or an urgent procedure to open the blocked artery.

After the acute event, long-term treatment includes medicines such as aspirin, a statin, and a beta-blocker, together with cardiac rehabilitation and aggressive control of risk factors to prevent a future event.

• Control blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol through regular monitoring and treatment.
• Avoid tobacco use.
• Maintain regular physical activity and a healthy weight.
• Seek immediate emergency care for chest pain that is severe, prolonged, or occurs at rest — do not wait to see if it resolves.