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Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)


Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term for diseases of the heart and the blood vessels, including those vessels that supply the brain, kidneys etc. as well as the heart.


What is a heart attack?

A heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI) occurs when there is interruption of blood supply to part of the heart.

The lack of blood flow causes the levels of oxygen in the affected area of the heart to drop. The result is an almost immediate decrease, or loss of function, in that area. If the blood supply is not restored quickly, a cascade of damaging events is started, which will continue to cause further damage even after the blood supply is restored.


What causes heart attack?

  -  The main cause of heart attack is atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis).

Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of arteries due to the build up of plaque. Most people, by their late 20s, will have started to get build up of plaque in their arteries. As we age plaque gets thicker and arteries narrower. Lifestyle and genetics are the major determining factors for whether the atherosclerosis will progress to a level that can cause a heart attack.

The most common event is that the plaque becomes unstable. This leads to a rupturing of the plaque. The body responds by rapidly forming a blood clot.

Often there will be repeated cycles of rupture, clot formation, repair of the rupture. Each time this occurs the plaque will get thicker and the artery narrower. This is called stenosis.

Eventually the clot may block the artery and interrupt the blood flow to part or all of the heart. Also, part or all, of a clot may break free and can potentially block other arteries.


How does high blood pressure increase the risk of heart disease?

High blood pressure increases the amount of atherosclerosis. High blood pressure, over time, will damage artery walls, due to the constant stress. Damaged arteries are more likely to develop atherosclerosis. The more atherosclerosis that is present, the greater the risk of a heart attack.


Atherosclerosis can also cause other problems

Narrowing of the arteries can lead to reduce blood supply to any organ or part of the body, such as the brain and kidneys, that the narrowed arteries supply with blood. As an example, narrowing of arteries that lead to the brain can cause a continuing shortage of oxygen to the brain, which will cause poor functioning of the brain and can even eventually lead to dementia. Lack of oxygen getting to the heart, itself, can cause heart failure, angina (chest pain) and arrhythmias (abnormal heart beat, palpitations etc.).