home > drugs a-z list > refludan (lepirudin) drug center > refludan (lepirudin) drug - medication guide and patient information

Heart Attack »

Heart attack facts

• A heart attack results when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle and heart muscle dies.
• The blood clot that causes the heart attack usually forms at the site of rupture of an atherosclerotic, cholesterol plaque on the inner wall of a coronary artery.
• The most common symptom of heart attack is chest pain.
• The most common complications of a heart attack are heart failure and ventricular fibrillation.
• The risk factors for atherosclerosis and heart attack include elevated cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, tobacco use, diabetes, male gender, and a family history of heart attacks at an early age.
• Heart attacks are diagnosed with electrocardiograms and measurement of cardiac enzymes in blood.
• Early reopening of blocked coronary arteries reduces the amount of damage to the heart and im...

Read the Heart Attack article »