Not knowing you're at risk for heart disease can be the biggest risk of all. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when one or more regions of the heart muscle experience a severe or prolonged decrease in oxygen supply caused by blocked blood flow to the heart muscle. The blockage is often a result of atherosclerosis - a buildup of plaque, known as cholesterol, and other fatty substances.
Plaque inhibits and obstructs the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart.
If the blood and oxygen supply is cut off severely or for a long period of time, muscle cells of the heart suffer severe and devastating damage and die. If a large area of the heart is affected by a reduced blood supply, it may lead to heart failure. Stroke, also called a brain attack, happens when the arteries leading to the brain are blocked or rupture. When the brain does not receive the needed oxygen supply, the brain cells begin to die. A stroke can cause paralysis, inability to talk, inability to understand, and other conditions brought on by brain damage.