How your heart gets oxygen
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PrintYour heart gets oxygen from the blood brought to it through three major arteries. These arteries are called teh right coronary artery (RCA), the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the circumflex artery.
The heart must have a constant flow of blood and oxygen to make the heart muscle pump. Sometimes, this flow of blood can be interupted by a spasm (a sudden squeze or constriction of an artery) or by build up (atherosclerosis) in the artery wall.
A sudden spasm can cause chest pain or a heart attack if the spasm occurs long enough.
Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, occurs over time, when there has been damage to the lining of the artery walls which then has allowed build up of cholesterol and fats to occur. If the build up continues, it makes the passage for the blood smaller and smaller and therefore decreases the blood flow.
Both spasm and blockage can block the blood flow, which then does not allow blood and oxygen to travel to the heart muscle. The heart muscle will cry out with pain, known as chest pain when this occurs. This pain can feel different to different people. Most typically it is felt as a burning, stabbing or cramping ache in their chest, back, jaw or arm.
Other symptoms may include:
- sweating
- vomiting
- nausea
- shortness of breath
- feeling weak
- feeling faint or dizzy
- extreme fatigue
If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 to get the emergency help that you need immediately.
