Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes. The discomfort may occasionally feel like heartburn. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea, feeling faint, a cold sweat, or feeling tired. About 30% of people have atypical symptoms, with women more likely than men to present atypically. Among those over 75 years old, about 5% have had an MI with little or no history of symptoms. An MI may cause heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, or cardiac arrest. COUNT 5
QSN1 What does MI stand for? ANS1 Myocardial infarction QSN2 WHat percentage of people suffer from atypical symptoms? ANS2 30% QSN3 What is the most common symptom of MI? ANS3 chest pain or discomfort QSN4 How long can the pain of MI last? ANS4 more than a few minutes QSN5 What can the discomfort of MI feel like? ANS5 heartburn