This can lead to damage to the heart muscle.
Treatment is the only way to avoid irreversible damage from a heart attack.
This article covers heart attack causes, triggers, warning signs, and prevention.
AsiaVision / Getty Images
Atherosclerosisleads to coronary heart disease.
In atherosclerosis, plaque accumulates inside the arteries.
This buildup can start as early as childhood.
Plaques can rupture, leading to the formation of blood clots.
Nearly 50% of Americans ages 45 to 84 have atherosclerosis.
Yet they may not know it.In its early stages, atherosclerosis may not have any warning signs.
These are the same risk factors associated with coronary heart disease.
Terminology
In this article, the terms for sex or gender from the cited sources are used.
These generally relate to sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity.
This is more common in younger people in general and specifically younger women of color.
However, there is poor blood flow to the heart, which leads to a heart attack.
In turn, a heart attack occurs.
What Raises the Risk of a Heart Attack?
Your risk for a heart attack will vary based on certain risk factors you may have.
Other conditions like MINOCA can cause a heart attack even if you don’t have typical coronary artery disease.
Drug misuse and hypoxia also sometimes can lead to a heart attack.
Having certain health conditions, such as diabetes or lupus, also raise your heart attack risk.
Lu H, Daugherty A.Atherosclerosis.Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.
2015;35(3):485491. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.115.305380
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.What is atherosclerosis?
American Heart Association.What is a heart attack?
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary heart disease: causes and risk factors.
A punch in of heart attack mostly affecting women.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart attack: Causes and risk factors.
American Heart Association.Illegal drugs and heart disease.
MedlinePlus.Substance use–amphetamines.
Kim ST and Park T.Acute and chronic effects of cocaine on cardiovascular health.Int J Mol Sci.
2019;20(3):584. doi:10.3390/ijms20030584
NHS.Causes: heart attack.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart attack.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes and your heart.
American Heart Association.Understand your risks to prevent a heart attack.
Lupus Foundation of American.Lupus and the heart, lungs, and blood.
Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease.
American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes to prevent a heart attack.
American Heart Association.Warning signs of a heart attack.
The Texas Heart Institute.Heart attack warning signs.
Duke Health.Heart attack symptoms.
