When a coronary artery abruptly fails to deliver blood to a part of your heart. A heart attack occurs. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels on the surface of your heart. They bring oxygen and nutrients to your heart muscle.
From time to time fat, circulating cholesterol and other substances combine to form a hard substance known as plaque. The plaques also attract blood components, which stick to the artery wall lining. The assemble up of plaque may block the arteries and restrict blood flow to the heart. This is called coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Over many years the process develops gradually,. It often begins early in life, even in childhood.
The fatty buildup or plaque can smash open and lead to the structure of a blood clot that seals the break. Blood flow is reduced by the clot reduces. The cycle of fatty buildup, plaque rupture, and blood clot development causes the coronary arteries to narrow, reducing blood flow. When too little blood reaches the heart, the condition is called ischemia. Chest pain, or angina, may occur. The pain can vary in occurrence. It may be gentle and intermittent, or it may be more pronounced and steady. It can be harsh enough to make normal everyday activities difficult. However, is some cases, it may cause no symptoms (a condition called silent ischemia.)
The portion of the heart’s muscle (myocardium) that is deprived of oxygen will be permanently destroyed If a blood clot suddenly cuts off most or all blood supply to the heart, a heart attack results.. The more time that passes with no treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart.
The heart attack is a continuous process that may last from four to six hours he heart muscle affected doesn’t die all at once. As time passes, without an intervention to improve blood flow, more heart muscle is deprived of oxygen and dies.
