The heart attack - more properly called myocardial infarction - is the pathological process due to which the flow of blood destined for the myocardium (or the heart muscle) is inadequate to the requests.
Often caused by atherosclerosis, this serious condition causes necrosis (ie death) of myocardial tissue and a reduction in the contractile capacity of the heart.
Although the heart attack usually leads to the appearance of various symptoms - among all, it is remembered in particular dyspnea, chest pain and the sense of nausea - in some rare circumstances it can go completely unnoticed, as it is asymptomatic or characterized by disorders just mentioned.
The myocardial infarction not accompanied by any pathological manifestation is also called silent heart attack .
The risk factors that cause this subtle heart disease are the same as those of a classic heart attack, therefore physical inactivity, high fat diet, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, etc.
The most dangerous aspect of a silent myocardial infarction is the fact that, very often, those who are affected ignore what has happened to them, therefore they do not treat themselves properly, they do not change their style (as would be recommended) and is likely to develop severe and sometimes fatal heart failure.
