If one of these blood vessels is blocked, a part of the heart muscle may die. If only a small part is involved, the patient may feel a little chest pain and recover with few problems. If a large part of the heart muscle is involved, the pain can be severe and the person could die. Sometimes the heart area affected also carries the signal for the heart to beat. When this area is affected, the heart may beat irregularly or not at all.
Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped beating.
When a person feels chest pain, it is important to seek immediate medical advice. Early treatment may reduce the amount of damage that occurs to the heart muscle. If the pain is caused by a heart attack, the healthcare provider may want to try to dissolve the clot that is blocking the blood supply to the heart. It may also be necessary to monitor and treat any abnormal heart rhythm. After recovery from a heart attack, there are things that can be done to reduce the chance of another attack.