heart attack: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 5, 2026

Photos

The role of coronary artery disease in heart attack

Medical diagram showing coronary artery bypass surgery. It highlights blocked arteries in the heart and illustrates how blood flow is rerouted using a mammary graft and a saphenous vein graft from the leg.

See All Images →

Topics

coronary thrombosis What Is the Difference Between Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack?myocardial infarction human cardiovascular system cardiopulmonary resuscitation heart failure electrocardiography antiplatelet drug heart disease heart murmur cor pulmonale cardiac arrest coronary heart disease heart block congenital heart disease

44 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Health and Medicine Quizzes

Male muscle, man flexing arm, bicep curl.

Facts You Should Know: The Human Body Quiz