What Causes A Heart Attack
By John Tahan
The heart is a muscular pump that needs a continuous supply of oxygen. It obtains oxygen from the blood, which flows to the heart muscle through arteries on the heart’s surface. These arteries are called the coronary arteries.
The underlying cause of heart attack is coronary heart disease (CHD) - the slow build-up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. These fatty deposits, called plaque, gradually clog and narrow the inside channel of the arteries. It is a process that begins early in life and continues over the years.
Raquel Billiones has a PhD in Biology and has over 15 years experience as a researcher, scientific English teacher, and medical writer. Since 2006, she has been a freelance WAHM specializing in medical writing and scientific documentation. 
