Question: Wat causes heart attack and heart failure?

Jacinta Nzilani answered on 17 Jul 2025: last edited 17 Jul 2025 7:40 am

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Hey! Let’s look at what causes heart attacks and heart failure, backed by scientific research:

🚨 So What Causes a Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)?

A heart attack usually happens due to a sudden blockage in a coronary artery, cutting off blood (and oxygen) to part of the heart muscle

Major risk factors include :

Smoking

High LDL cholesterol and low HDL

High blood pressure

Diabetes

Obesity (especially abdominal)

Chronic stress or depression

Lack of fruits, vegetables, or physical activity

Mechanism: Inflammation and damage to artery walls lead to unstable fatty plaques. If a plaque ruptures, it triggers a blood clot that blocks blood flow, causing muscle death if not quickly treated .

Non‑typical causes (~10% of cases) include:

Coronary artery spasm

Plaque erosion or tear

Small vessel dysfunction
These can lead to heart attacks even without large blockages.

💔 What Causes Heart Failure?

🫀 Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It often develops gradually.

Common causes include CHF and heart failure reviews :

Ischemic heart disease (previous heart attacks damaging the heart muscle)

Hypertension (high blood pressure) causes the heart to become enlarged and stiff

Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle, which may be genetic, viral, or toxin-induced

Valvular heart disease, such as rheumatic valve disorders

Inflammatory conditions (e.g., myocarditis), chronic infections, or metabolic conditions (e.g., diabetes)

Other causes: toxic substances (e.g., chemotherapy), high-output states like severe anemia or thyroid disease, can sometimes cause heart failure .

🧬 How the Heart Responds and Fails
When the heart starts failing, it activates compensatory mechanisms (e.g., retaining fluid, activating hormones like angiotensin and aldosterone) to maintain circulation. Over time, these mechanisms make the heart weaker and more fibrotic, leading to worsening function and symptoms like fluid buildup in lungs and legs, fatigue, and breathlessness .
🧪 Why It Matters
Many of these causes are preventable by controlling blood pressure, maintaining good cholesterol levels, avoiding smoking, managing diabetes, and staying active.

Early detection and treatment of heart disease risk factors can prevent both heart attacks and heart failure.

Final Word:
Heart attacks are sudden events caused by artery blockages.

Heart failure is a chronic condition caused by long-term damage or stress to the heart.

Take care of your heart, it’s the engine that keeps you moving!