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To work properly, your heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen-rich blood. It normally receives this from blood vessels called coronary arteries. When a coronary artery suddenly becomes completely blocked, oxygen can’t get to your heart muscle — which causes a heart attack (or, ‘myocardial infarction’). Heart attack is a medical emergency: without oxygen, the muscle begins to die and your heart can become permanently damaged. Heart attacks can be fatal — every day, 21 Australians die from heart attack. One patient is admitted to hospital due to heart attack every 9 minutes. What are the symptoms of a heart attack?If you have any of the symptoms below, you could be having a heart attack. If symptoms are severe, get worse quickly, or last longer than 10 minutes, call triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance. If calling triple zero (000) does not work on your mobile try calling 112. The most common symptoms of a heart attack include: Women may experience different symptoms, such as:
Heart attack symptoms differ from person to person. Some people experience no warning signs before a heart attack while others feel symptoms days or weeks in advance. Nearly 1 in 3 men and nearly 4 in 10 women who have heart attacks don’t feel any chest pain at all. Chest pains may also come and go. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the chest and back pain Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. What causes heart attacks?The most common cause of a heart attack is coronary heart disease. This is where fatty deposits, cholesterol and other substances build up in the walls of the coronary arteries that supply oxygen to the heart. Over time, this build-up hardens into plaque that can break off at any time and cause a blood clot which blocks the artery. In some cases, heart attacks have another cause:
Certain lifestyle factors are shown to increase your chances of heart disease and having a heart attack.
When should I see my doctor?Call triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance, if you or someone near you experiences symptoms of a heart attack that are:
If calling triple zero (000) does not work on your mobile, try calling 112. Early treatment could save a life. See your doctor regularly to manage your general health, test for heart disease risk factors and help you take steps to prevent a heart attack. FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services. How are heart attacks diagnosed?If you think you might be having a heart attack, you need to head to a hospital straight away. There, a doctor will assess your symptoms and check your vital signs – blood pressure, pulse and temperature. There are several tests that help indicate if you’ve had a heart attack, and whether damage was caused, such as:
How are heart attacks treated?The first step in treating a suspected heart attack is to restore blood flow to the heart quickly. Heart muscle cells depend on oxygen and the longer the heart is without oxygen, the more permanent and widespread the damage. MedicationsTreating a heart attack often involves dissolving any blood clots blocking blood flow with medicines called thrombolytics. Other medications may be prescribed to help reduce the risk of another heart attack. These include:
SurgerySurgical procedures can help to restore blood flow to the heart, including:
ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist. How can I prevent a heart attack?Making positive lifestyle changes is the best way to lower your risk of a heart attack. There are a number of ways you can improve your heart health: There are also other risk factors that you can’t control, like your age, gender, ethnicity and family history. Speak with your doctor if you’re concerned about your risk factors, and for tips on how you can reduce your risk. ARE YOU AT RISK? — Are you at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease? Use the Risk Checker to find out. NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT? — Use the BMI Calculator to find out if your weight and waist size are in a healthy range. Are there complications of a heart attack?Complications following a heart attack can include:
These can be dangerous if untreated, but your healthcare team will help to manage them if they occur. Is a cardiac arrest the same thing as a heart attack?A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are both medical emergencies. However, they are not the same thing, and sometimes a heart attack can progress into a cardiac arrest. During a cardiac arrest, the electrical system that controls your heart rate and rhythm stops working, and the heart stops beating. When someone has a cardiac arrest, they experience different symptoms and receive different treatments to someone who has a heart attack. Someone having a cardiac arrest will collapse and have no pulse. They may not breathe properly, or maybe not at all, and they will lose consciousness. If someone has a cardiac arrest, they need help immediately. Call 000 (triple zero) for an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, begin chest compressions (cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR), or use a device called a defibrillator, if available. Once the person gets to hospital, a medical team will treat them. Does COVID-19 cause heart attacks?Research so far suggests that COVID-19 mostly affects the lungs, but it can also affect the heart and worsen existing conditions. See the Heart Foundation’s FAQs page for more information about COVID-19 and heart disease. Life after a heart attackRecovering from a heart attack can be both emotionally and physically challenging. Hearing stories from others who have experienced a heart attack can help. The Heart Foundation have shared several people’s “heart stories” on their website. Resources and supportFor more information and support, try these resources: Other languagesDo you prefer to read languages other than English? The Heart Foundation has fact sheets on heart health translated into more than 25 languages. Department of Health Western Australia (Heart Health (Cardiovascular)), The Heart Foundation (How your heart works), Heart Foundation (Heart attack risk factors), Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (Arrhythmia), Journal of the American Medical Association (Association of age and sex with myocardial infarction symptom presentation and in-hospital mortality), NHS Choices, UK (Complications), Heart Foundation (Heart attack), Heart Foundation (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)), Heart Foundation (Are you at risk of heart disease?), Heart Foundation (Heart procedures and devices), Heart Foundation (Heart attack medication), Heart Foundation (COVID-19 and heart disease risks) Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Last reviewed: June 2020 These trusted information partners have more on this topic.
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