Annual Probability of Having a Heart Attack

Approximately 805,000 Americans have a heart attack (myocardial infarction) each year, meaning someone has a heart attack about every 40 seconds. Of these, about 605,000 are first heart attacks and 200,000 occur in people who have already had one. About 12% of heart attacks are fatal, and about half of heart attack deaths occur before the person reaches a hospital.

The classic symptoms include chest pain or pressure, pain radiating to the arm, jaw, or back, shortness of breath, cold sweat, and nausea. However, women are more likely to experience atypical symptoms including fatigue, indigestion, and shortness of breath without chest pain, leading to delayed recognition and treatment. About 1 in 5 heart attacks is "silent," causing damage without the person being aware.

Prompt treatment is critical: calling 911 within 5 minutes of symptom onset significantly improves survival. Treatments include aspirin, nitroglycerin, clot-busting drugs, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI/stenting), which should ideally be performed within 90 minutes of hospital arrival. Long-term outcomes have improved dramatically: in-hospital heart attack mortality has dropped from about 30% in the 1960s to about 6-8% today.