|
|
What Makes a Heart Attack More Likely?
|
Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries (the blood vessels that bring blood and oxygen to the heart muscle). When blood cannot reach part of your heart, that area starves for oxygen. If the blockage continues long enough, cells in the affected area die.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common underlying cause of a heart attack. CAD is the hardening and narrowing of the coronary arteries by the buildup of plaque in the inside walls (atherosclerosis). Over time, plaque buildup in the coronary arteries can:
- Your age
- Men: over age 45
- Women: over age 55
- Having a family history of early heart disease
- Heart disease diagnosed in father or brother before age 55
- Heart disease diagnosed in mother or sister before age 65
- Having a personal history of CAD
- Angina
- A previous heart attack
- A surgical procedure (angioplasty, heart bypass) to increase blood flow to your heart.
Risk factors that you can change include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Obesity
- Being physically inactive
- Diabetes (high blood sugar) .
|
|
|
|
