Why are some heart attacks called “massive?” What constitutes a massive heart attack as opposed to a normal one?
In: Biology
A heart attack is when parts of the heart muscle stop getting enough blood. Without enough blood to muscles, the heart will stop beating properly. If you see medical treatment soon enough, the damage can be limited. Although mild, they can still be serious and have negative long-term effects.
A massive heart attack is when a much larger portion of the heart muscle stop getting blood, or parts of the heart go without blood for a longer time (causing more damage). This could be due to a major coronary artery getting clogged up, thus a lot less blood feeds the heart. With a massive heart attack, there is much greater chance of going into cardiac arrest, which is the technical way of saying dropping dead.
Latest Answers