A heart attack is a frightening experience. If you've had a heart attack, or are close to someone who has, you're not alone: ​​Tens of thousands of Americans survive. As you work toward healing, use the following questions and answers to better understand what happened to you and how you can help your heart heal so you can live a healthier, longer life. Your heart muscle needs oxygen to survive. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow that carries oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped completely (see an animation of blood flow). This happens because the coronary arteries that supply blood flow to the heart muscle can slowly narrow due to a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances that together are called plaque. This slow process is known as atherosclerosis. When a plaque in a heart artery ruptures, a blood clot forms around it. This blood clot can block blood flow through the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and nutrients, it is called ischemia. When damage or death of part of the heart muscle occurs due to ischemia, it is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI). About every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a myocardial infarction (heart attack). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Major Risk Factors The risk factors in this list are the ones you are born with and cannot be changed. The greater the number of these risk factors, the greater the chance of developing coronary heart disease. Since you can't do anything about these risk factors, it's even more important to manage risk factors that can be changed. Increasing age Most people who die from coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men to die from them within a few weeks. Male sex (gender) Men are at greater risk of heart attack than women and suffer from attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when the death rate from heart disease among women increases, it is not as high as that of men. Heredity (including race) Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it. African Americans have more severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and a higher risk of heart disease. The risk of heart disease is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, Native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. Most people with a strong family history of heart disease have one or more other risk factors. Just like you can't control your age, gender, and race, you can't control your family history. Therefore, it is even more important to treat and control any other risk factors present. Warning Signs of a Heart Attack Don't wait to get help if you experience any of these warning signs of a heart attack. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most begin slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you feel: Chest discomfort: Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and returns. Can.