Story at-a-glance
- In the U.S., a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds, impacting approximately 805,000 people annually
- A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when blood flow to the heart becomes suddenly blocked
- A cardiac arrest occurs due to a malfunction in the heart that causes it to stop beating; this results in loss of consciousness and absence of a pulse
- While common heart attack symptoms include chest pain, lightheadedness and shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and anxiety can also occur, especially in women
- Both a heart attack and cardiac arrest are life-threatening conditions that need emergency medical attention; if the person is unresponsive, use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available or begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or chest compressions immediately
In the U.S., a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds, impacting approximately 805,000 people annually. Among them, 605,000 experience their first heart attack. Further, in about 1 in 5 cases, the heart attack is “silent,” meaning heart damage has occurred, but the person isn’t aware of it.1