How a heart attack happens

How a heart attack happens

If a plaque inside a blood vessel ruptures, the body tries to repair the tear by forming a blood clot. A heart attack occurs when a clot blocks an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the heart (coronary artery). This damages the heart.

Illustration of plaque rupture and clot formation in a coronary artery

Illustration of damage to the heart from a heart attack

    Last Updated: May 14, 2007
Medical Review: Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine
Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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