Heart Attack

Overview

When a heart attack occurs, a fast and accurate medical response is crucial. Each minute that the heart is deprived of oxygen increases the chances of damaging or destroying part of the heart muscle. Mayo Clinic has one of the fastest response times in the nation, averaging less than 60 minutes from the time a patient comes to the emergency room to the time the clogged artery is opened with cardiac catheterization.

Diagnosis of Heart Attack

Although symptoms vary with every heart attack, several common signs signal that a heart attack is occurring. Based on symptoms, a few questions and vital sign checks, paramedics or emergency room personnel can usually diagnose a heart attack. After immediate treatment to open the blockage, several diagnostic tests can examine the aftereffects of an attack. Read more about heart attack diagnosis.

Treatment of Heart Attack

The immediate treatment for a heart attack is opening or clearing the blockage causing the symptoms. At Mayo Clinic, this is typically accomplished when interventional cardiologists perform a minimally invasive procedure in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. For comprehensive treatment, a multidisciplinary team collaborates to perform additional tests, determine needs for medications and formulate a rehabilitation plan to improve long-term outlook. Read more about heart attack treatment options.

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What is a Heart Attack?

The body's cells require oxygen and nutrients to survive and grow, and the heart is the engine that moves blood, which carries the oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. A heart attack is a sudden loss of the heart's pumping ability. It is usually caused by a plug in one or more of the heart (coronary) arteries, blocking blood flow to the heart muscle and starving it of oxygen.

A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery is blocked permanently, or for longer than about 30 minutes to two hours. The region of the heart muscle supplied by that artery is starved for oxygen and nutrition for so long that irreversible damage occurs. A heart attack generally causes severe chest pain, pressure or discomfort (angina) for more than 15 minutes. It is also possible to have a "silent" attack in which no symptoms occur; the evidence of a silent attack may appear on an electrocardiogram or other tests. Read more about heart attack symptoms.

A heart attack is a medical emergency. The patient should be taken immediately to the closest emergency medical facility, preferably by ambulance. The longer the patient delays, the more permanent damage is done to the heart muscle. In addition, irregular heart rhythms can occur during a heart attack, which can cause death within seconds to minutes if the patient is not on a heart monitor with the necessary medications and equipment, especially a defibrillator, if one is available.

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