My heart

A heart attack happens when an area of the heart

muscle is seriously deprived of blood. This usually
happens when an area of plaque in a coronary
artery cracks. Blood cells and other parts of the
blood stick over the damaged area and form a clot
that suddenly and completely blocks the blood flow
to the heart muscle. This permanently damages the
part of the heart muscle that is starved of oxygen.
Heart attack

Pr
ev

The best treatment for

cardiac arrest involves
using a defibrillator.
A defibrillator gives
the persons heart a
controlled electric
shock that may start
it beating normally
again. If a defibrillator
is available, you should
begin cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR)
straight away and
follow the defibrillator
instructions. If a
defibrillator is not
available, you should
begin CPR anyway
and continue until an
ambulance arrives.

A heart attack is sometimes called:

myocardial infarction or MI
acute myocardial infarction or AMI
coronary occlusion or coronary thrombosis.

Cardiac arrest is when

your heart suddenly
stops beating. A person
in cardiac arrest will
collapse (fall down),
and stop breathing and
moving. They will die
if they are not treated
immediately. A cardiac
arrest may be caused by
a heart attack.

What is a heart attack?

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A note about
cardiac arrest

20092012 National Heart Foundation of

Australia. No further reproduction allowed.

Remember DRSABC
Before commencing CPR, remember DRSABC: check
for Danger, check for Response, Send for help, check
the Airway, check Breathing (remember look, listen
and feel), and check Circulation.

My heart, my life

Heart Foundation