Heart attacks: Clarifying the causes and consequences
The descriptions used to describe different types of heart attacks (such as “massive” or “widow maker”) can be unhelpful or confusing. Even small heart attacks can have serious outcomes—but most heart attacks are not fatal. Another common source of confusion is the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest. In addition, doctors are increasingly realizing that many heart attacks do not result from a blockage in one of the heart’s arteries. Some heart attacks result instead from an imbalance in blood supply and demand. These are most likely to occur in older people with other health problems in addition to heart disease.
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