Heart attacks are one of the most common illnesses that affect women and men of all age groups.
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States.
Your heart is a strong muscle about the size of your clenched fist. Its job is to pump blood, oxygen, and nutrients to all parts of your body. The right side of your heart pumps only the blood into your lungs. The left side of your heart must pump blood to all other parts of your body. This process begins with the deposit of fatty materials, called plaque, on the inner lining of these arterial walls.