Coronary artery disease (also called coronary heart disease) is a chronic condition that can develop over many years. Over time, plaque builds up on the insides of the artery walls, which slowly starts to block blood flow in that artery.
A heart attack occurs when that plaque buildup ruptures and forms a blood clot that blocks the artery.
In this video, learn to tell the difference between signs of heart disease and a heart attack.
Dr. Bloom is a Cardiologist, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the Heart Failure Society of America.
Dr. Goldberg is a Cardiologist and served as the Medical Director of the NYU Langone Health Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health. She is currently an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Dr. Bhusri is an attending cardiologist at the Lenox Hill Heart & Vascular Institute and an assistant professor of cardiology at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine.
Rachel Bond, MD, FACC, is a Cardiologist at Dignity Health and served as Associate Director of the Women's Heart Health Program at Northwell Health, Lenox Hill Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine.
References
American Heart Association. (2022). Warning signs of a heart attack.
Fang, J., et al. (2019). Awareness of heart attack symptoms and response among adults — United States, 2008, 2015, and 2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2023). What is coronary heart disease?
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