Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCoronary Heart DiseaseOther Heart Attack CausesLess Common CausesRisk FactorsPreventionWhen to Seek Emergency CareNext in Heart Attack GuideHow a Heart Attack Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Coronary Heart Disease
Other Heart Attack Causes
Less Common Causes
Risk Factors
Prevention
When to Seek Emergency Care
Next in Heart Attack Guide
Aheart attack, also calledmyocardial infarction(MI), occurs when blood flow to the heart is suddenly interrupted. This can lead to damage to the heart muscle. Treatment is the only way to avoid irreversible damage from a heart attack.
This article covers heart attack causes, triggers, warning signs, and prevention.
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Main Cause: Coronary Heart Disease
Atherosclerosisleads to coronary heart disease. In atherosclerosis, plaque accumulates inside the arteries. Cholesterol, fat, calcium, and inflammatory blood cells form the plaque.As it builds up, the arteries narrow, and there’s a reduced supply of blood going to the heart and other organs. This buildup can start as early as childhood.
Plaques can rupture, leading to the formation of blood clots. If the blood clot is big enough, it can partially or completely block blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack.
Many things can increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease, including:
More risk factors are discussed in the following “What Raises the Risk of a Heart Attack?” section. These are the same risk factors associated with coronary heart disease.
TerminologyIn this article, the terms for sex or gender from the cited sources are used. These generally relate to sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity.
Terminology
In this article, the terms for sex or gender from the cited sources are used. These generally relate to sex assigned at birth rather than gender identity.
How Atherosclerosis vs. Arteriosclerosis Affects Arteries
In addition to coronary heart disease, a condition called MINOCA, short formyocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries, can also cause a heart attack. This is more common in younger people in general and specifically younger women of color.
With MINOCA, if healthcare providers do a heart imaging test called an angiogram, they would not see any signs of heart disease. However, there is poor blood flow to the heart, which leads to a heart attack.
MINOCA can have several causes:
Like with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking can raise the risk for MINOCA. However, these health issues are less common in those having heart attacks from MINOCA compared with those having heart attacks from coronary heart disease.
Less Common Causes of Heart Attack
Here is more information on the less common causes of a heart attack, including drug misuse and lack of oxygen.
Misuse of Drugs
Certain recreational drugs can raise the risk of a heart attack, including:
Researchers sometimes call cocaine “the perfect heart attack drug.“It can cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate as well as cause atherosclerosis.These effects can occur even among those who consider themselves only recreational users.Most heart attacks from cocaine happen a couple of hours after using the drug.
Lack of Oxygen (Hypoxia)
It’s possible to have a heart attack due to a lack of oxygen (hypoxia). This can occur if oxygen levels in the blood decrease because of causes such ascarbon monoxide poisoningor the lungs not functioning as they should.In this case, the heart does not receive adequate oxygenated blood, causing heart muscle damage. In turn, a heart attack occurs.
What Raises the Risk of a Heart Attack?
Your risk for a heart attack will vary based on certain risk factors you may have. This will include risk factors you can control, factors you can’t control, and health conditions that can increase your risk.
Risk Factors You Can Control
Heart attack risk factors that you can control include:
Risk Factors You Can’t Control
Heart attack risk factors that you can’t control include:
Conditions That Raise the Risk of Heart Attack
Having certain chronic health conditions can raise your risk for a heart attack, including:
How to Prevent a Heart Attack
Although you can’t get rid of all of your risk factors to avoid a heart attack, making some lifestyle changes can lower your risk:
You should seek emergency care anytime you or someone you are with has the signs of a heart attack, which include:
Certain heart attack signs and symptoms can be more common inwomen, such as extreme fatigue nausea, and sweating both before and during the heart attack.
Summary
Risk factors that can increase your chances for a heart attack include being older, having a family history of heart disease, smoking, and having high blood pressure. Having certain health conditions, such as diabetes or lupus, also raise your heart attack risk.
Healthy choices like getting enough physical activity, eating nutrient-rich foods, and quitting smoking all go a long way toward preventing a heart attack.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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American Heart Association.What is a heart attack?
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary heart disease: causes and risk factors.
Cedars-Sinai.What is MINOCA? A type of heart attack mostly affecting women.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart attack: Causes and risk factors.
American Heart Association.Illegal drugs and heart disease.
MedlinePlus.Substance use–amphetamines.
Kim ST and Park T.Acute and chronic effects of cocaine on cardiovascular health.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(3):584. doi:10.3390/ijms20030584
NHS.Causes: heart attack.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart attack.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes and your heart.
American Heart Association.Understand your risks to prevent a heart attack.
Lupus Foundation of American.Lupus and the heart, lungs, and blood.
Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease.
American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes to prevent a heart attack.
American Heart Association.Warning signs of a heart attack.
The Texas Heart Institute.Heart attack warning signs.
Duke Health.Heart attack symptoms.
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