A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is restricted or stopped altogether. This may be due to a narrowing of the coronary artery or total blockage by a clot or spasm of the blood vessel. Only a portion of the heart muscle is affected and without adequate blood supply, the heart muscle dies (infarct).

A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you are in the high risk group, any signs or symptoms that may indicate a heart attack should be taken seriously even if it is vague.

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