Heart Attack

A medical emergency where blood flow to part of the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot.

HeartEmergencyLast updated: 21 October 2026

Quick Summary

Primary Symptoms

Chest pain or pressure that may spread to the arm, jaw, neck or back, with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or lightheadedness.

Common Treatments

Emergency treatment to reopen the artery (angioplasty or clot-busting medicine), then medicines and cardiac rehabilitation.

Risk Factors

Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, family history and older age.

OverviewSymptomsCausesTreatmentFAQ

Overview

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when a fatty plaque in a coronary artery breaks open and a clot blocks the artery. The heart muscle beyond the blockage starts to die.

Call 112 immediately. Fast treatment limits damage to the heart. In India, heart attacks often happen at younger ages than in many other countries.

Symptoms

Chest pain

Pressure, tightness or squeezing that lasts more than a few minutes.

Pain spreading

To the arm (often left), jaw, neck, back or stomach.

Breathlessness and sweating

Often with nausea or vomiting.

Silent symptoms

Women, older people and people with diabetes may have milder or unusual symptoms.

Causes & Risk Factors

Biological Causes

A blood clot forming on a ruptured plaque in a coronary artery, cutting off blood to part of the heart.

Key Risk Factors

  • Smoking Greatly increases risk, including at a young age.
  • Diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol Speed up artery narrowing.
  • Family history Heart disease in close relatives at a young age.

Management & Treatment

01. Emergency care

Call 112. Doctors may give aspirin and use angioplasty with a stent or clot-busting medicine.

02. Medicines afterwards

Usually antiplatelets, a statin, beta blocker and ACE inhibitor.

03. Cardiac rehabilitation

Supervised exercise and lifestyle support to recover and prevent another attack.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if someone has chest pain?
Call 112 straight away and keep them resting. Don't drive them yourself if you can get an ambulance.
Is a heart attack the same as cardiac arrest?
No. A cardiac arrest is when the heart stops pumping; a heart attack can lead to it.
Can I return to normal life?
Many people do, with treatment, rehabilitation and lifestyle changes.

Sources and further reading

Last updated 21 October 2026. For more detail, see these trusted health organisations.