Ischemia means that the flow of blood (and therefore oxygen) to a part of the body has been reduced; cardiac ischemia means not enough blood and oxygen are flowing into the heart muscle, which can severely damage it and lead to a heart attack

A heart attack is not a death sentence. Today, the majority of people who have a heart attack survive it and go on to live normal, active lives. Following a program of secondary prevention (usually involving taking medicines and making some lifestyle changes) can prevent a second heart attack.

Although some risk factors for a heart attack are beyond our control, many more are not. To prevent a heart attack, live in a "heart-healthy" way. That means:

• Get more physical exercise
• Stop smoking
• Stop drinking alcohol heavily
• Keep your blood pressure under control
• Keep your cholesterol under control
• Eat a heart-healthy diet

How often does the average heart beat (expand and contract) each day? About 100,000 times.  How much blood does it pump?  About 2,000 gallons. If you live to age 70, your heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. 

Learning CPR  (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation ) takes only a few hours, and when you do, you may save a life! Contact your local chapter of the Red Cross or American Heart Association to find out when and where courses are given.