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Heart attack

Illustration showing blocked artery and injured tissue in a heart attack

A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. Fatty deposits build up over time, forming plaques in your heart's arteries. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form and block your arteries, causing a heart attack. During a heart attack, tissue in your heart muscle dies due to lack of blood flow through your heart's arteries.
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