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The heart is a muscle that acts as a pump. The heart pumps blood, rich in carbon dioxide and depleted of oxygen, through the lungs. The lungs remove carbon and add oxygen. Once oxygenated, the blood returns to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body. After blood circulates through body tissues, it is returned to the heart and the process is repeated.
For the heart to do its job, it needs oxygen. There are special blood vessels on the outside of the heart, called coronary arteries, which supply the heart with oxygen. When one or more of these vessels becomes blocked (usually from a clot that has formed in the vessel), blood cannot get through this area and into the heart. Within about 20 minutes of not receiving blood and oxygen, the heart begins to die. When heart tissue dies, it can no longer contract or function as it did before. Heart attacks can destroy different areas of the heart, depending on where the blockage is.
When should I go to the hospital if I am experiencing chest pain?
If you are having chest discomfort and believe you may be having a heart attack, immediately get to the nearest hospital. Do not drive yourself. Call 911 or your local emergency number.
Making the decision to get to a hospital immediately is often the most important factor in determining if you live. Research shows one in three people die from a heart attack within the first few hours after the heart attack begins.
Denial is the number one reason that most people with chest pain delay treatment. They do not want to admit that they may be having a heart attack, and they try to dismiss the pain as indigestion or some other less serious illness. Knowing the signs of a heart attack and how heart attacks are treated can help people get help immediately, which can cause their death or permanent damage to the heart.
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External Source
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The American Heart Association
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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