Human body, showed from the front on the left, from behind on the right, with various inner organs, particularly the heart that supplies all others. A heart attack is an irreversible damage of the myocardial muscle because of oxygen deficiency due to a closure of one ore more coronary vessels. The risk factors for this are the same as for coronary heart disease, thus especially increased blood fat levels, diabetes melitus, smoking or stress. Typically, it`s indicated by a severe, long lasting chest pain that radiates down the left arm and a strong feeling of destruction. But sometimes the symptoms can be less severe, and sometimes there are none at all (silent infarct). Rapid information of an emergency doctor and a quick transport to the hospital are crucial. Within few hours, the destruction of heart muscle cells can still be inhibited by lysis therapy or expansion of the vessel with a heart catheter. Relevant for diagnosis are, apart from the typical symptoms, the ECG and determination of heart enzymes in the blood. Because of the possible complications, intensive care supercision is necessary at any rate. All risk factors should be prophylactically excluded. Following up should be the treatment of potential underlying diseases. Not to forget that ca. 50% of all heart attacks are not survived. According to a notification of the Techniker Krankenkasse Hamburg, 67000 people died because of a heart attack in the Federal Republic of Germany in 2000, whereas in 1999 it had been 77000.
