 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,6
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is the occurrence of cell death in an area of the heart muscle.
5
What causes a heart attack?
A heart attack is primarily caused by atherothrombosis – a blood clot in a vital artery that suddenly deprives the heart muscle of oxygen.
5,6
What is unstable angina (UA)?
Unstable angina (UA) occurs when the heart
muscle Is momentarily deprived of oxygen.
UA is often caused when a blood clot significantly
reduces blood flow in the coronary arteries that
provide blood to the heart muscle. UA may
develop into a heart attack, or it may resolve with
treatment or on its own.
5,6
Heart attack and unstable angina risk factors 7,8,9
You are more likely to develop a heart attack if you:
- have already had a stroke or peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
- are male and over 55
- are female and postmenopausal
- have a family history of heart attack or stroke
- smoke
- have diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure
- are obese
|
Your doctor can tell you how to reduce your risk of having another heart attack or stroke.
|
References:
5. Beers MH, ed. The Merck Manual of Medical Information. 2nd home ed.Whitehouse Station,NJ: Merck & Co. Inc., 2003.
6. Kasper DL, et al, eds. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 16th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2005.
7. Hankey GJ, et al. Five-year survival after first-ever stroke and related prognostic factors in the Perth Community Stroke Study. Stroke 2000;31(9):2080–6.
8. Dormandy JA, Rutherford RB, for the TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) Working Group. Management of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). J Vasc Surg 2000;31(1 Pt 2):S1–S296.
9. Heart and Stroke Foundation. Risk factors. Online at www.heartandstroke.ca. Last accessed November 2006.
|
|
|
|
|
