Frequently Asked Questions
2. What causes a heart attack?
Coronary heart disease, or CHD, is the most common underlying cause of a heart attack. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that bring blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. When blood cannot reach part of your heart, that area starves for oxygen. If the blockage continues long enough, cells in the affected area die.