The most common cause of coronary heart disease is the buildup of fat in the lining of the arteries. Common risk factors for this process include diabetes, hypertension, tobacco abuse, elevated blood cholesterol and a family history of coronary artery disease at an early age. Sudden death related to coronary artery disease is the most prominent medical emergency in the United States today. Of the patients who died from heart attacks, fifty percent will do so before reaching the hospital. The success of emergency cardiac care depends upon a person's understanding of the importance of early recognition and early medical evaluation.
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