Heart attacks (Part 1)
Heart attacks are caused when a thrombus blocks the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. In this video Professor Jon Gibbins discusses how and why heart attacks occur, and also looks at symptoms and survival statistics.
Heart attacks affect lots of people each year in the UK. In 2010:
- Approximately 100,000 heart attacks occurred
- 80,000 people died from coronary heart disease (heart attacks and angina)
- 32,000 people died from heart attacks, of which 18,000 were classed as sudden deaths.
- BUT that also means that 68,000 people survived heart attacks
- Death rates from heart attacks in England have halved since 2002.
You can download the Week 2 supplement, which contains additional images and descriptions to help you understand the topics covered in this video.
British Heart Foundation resources
You can find out more information about this topic in the following booklets produced by the British Heart foundation:
Heart Health: A Beginner's Guide to Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Health: A Beginner's Guide to Cardiovascular Disease
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