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Blockage to any major blood vessel is potentially fatal for a few reasons. If the blood doesn't flow properly, insufficient oxygen will reach the rest of the body, which is important to survival. As well, if the heart attempts to work overtime to compensate for this, blood pressure could rise to levels where major vessels could rupture, causing internal bleeding.

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Q: Why a blockage of a coronary artery could become life threatening?
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What is coronary atherosclerosis of native coronary artery?

Coronary Atherosclerosis: is a condition in which the arteries of the heart become clogged with fatty plaque build-up that restricts the amount of blood flow through the arteries while simultaneously causing hardening of the arterial walls. Native Coronary Artery: is an organ for which a transplant or bypass has been implanted


What parts of the heart will die if a blood clot lodges in the first part of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery?

what part of the heart dies if the first part of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery is blocked by a blood clot what regions of the heart will become ischemic and dieThe left atrium and left ventricle.


The most serious form of heart disease is coronary heart disease?

The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle itself. Damage to or blockage of a coronary artery can result in injury to the heart. Normally, blood flows through a coronary artery unimpeded. However, if the inner wall of a coronary artery becomes damaged, cholesterol plaque can build-up, progressively narrowing the available pathway through which blood can flow.Clotted blood attempting to traverse the blood vessel may find it tortuous and too narrow for passage, and the artery may become completely constricted or blocked-off. The blocked artery results in a lack of oxygen, or ischemia, to the part of the heart muscle that the artery supplies. The result is a heart attack.Reviewed ByReview Date: 05/23/2011Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.


What happens to the heart when an artery gets smaller?

You did not specify which artery. If it is one supplying the heart, it will affect the heart's efficiency. If it becomes completely clogged, part of the heart muscle will die unless the blockage is relieved. If it is an artery to a limb or organ, the heart will have to work harder, and the amount of blood it can push through the artery will slowly become lessened. Eventually, there will be problems at the other end, and perhaps with the heart as well.


Will the compression of CPR causes the leakage of the blood when a person's coronary artery is burst and experiences heart attack?

You would not know if a persons Coronary Artery has burst in the field. That is something that would require a surgeon (or more likely autopsy) to discover. Coronary Arteries very rarely burst, though they do become blocked. The most common place for vessels to burst is in the brain. If a person suffers a heart attack, perform CPR. Don't worry about the cause, nor should you worry about leaking blood from internal injuries.

Related questions

What results if there is blockage in the vessel?

A blockage in the coronary artery is the most common cause of heart disease. A blockage happens when there is a build up of plaque in the inner lining of the artery. This causes the artery to become narrow or blocked. Since the coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle, any blockage can have serious implications. It reduces the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart which may lead to heart attack and possibly death.


What is a pulmonary aneurysm?

A pulmonary aneurysm is the bulging of the pulmonary artery, usually because of pressure caused by a clot or blockage. The aneurysm can become too large and burst, causing life threatening bleeding


Why does a women's risk of coronary artery disease increase after menopause?

She has become more like a man


What is coronary atherosclerosis of native coronary artery?

Coronary Atherosclerosis: is a condition in which the arteries of the heart become clogged with fatty plaque build-up that restricts the amount of blood flow through the arteries while simultaneously causing hardening of the arterial walls. Native Coronary Artery: is an organ for which a transplant or bypass has been implanted


Can unstable angina become stable angina?

Yes it can if the atherosclerotic plaque causing stable angina ruptures blocking the coronary artery partially. It is an example for acute coronary syndrome.


Can a car accident with seat belt damage cause a coronary artery to become blocked?

It will only do that if your too short. If the seatbelt isn't fastend properly then it can block your artery. You should have kids be in a booster seat if your worried about this.


What parts of the heart will die if a blood clot lodges in the first part of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery?

what part of the heart dies if the first part of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery is blocked by a blood clot what regions of the heart will become ischemic and dieThe left atrium and left ventricle.


What causes angina pectoris?

Usually a stenotic coronary artery caused by atherosclerosis. The stenotic (narrowed) artery can give a brief period of ischemia (withholding of blood) to a region of the heart, which is felt as an intense pain. Angina pectoris is a sign that a more serious episode of ischemic attack can happen for that artery. If it is left untreated, it is very likely that the artery will eventually become completely clogged and the ensuing prolonged ischemia will cause a myocardial infarction (i.e. heart attack).


The most serious form of heart disease is coronary heart disease?

The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle itself. Damage to or blockage of a coronary artery can result in injury to the heart. Normally, blood flows through a coronary artery unimpeded. However, if the inner wall of a coronary artery becomes damaged, cholesterol plaque can build-up, progressively narrowing the available pathway through which blood can flow.Clotted blood attempting to traverse the blood vessel may find it tortuous and too narrow for passage, and the artery may become completely constricted or blocked-off. The blocked artery results in a lack of oxygen, or ischemia, to the part of the heart muscle that the artery supplies. The result is a heart attack.Reviewed ByReview Date: 05/23/2011Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.


Coronary Heart Disease – A Silent Killer of Men and Women?

Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is a disease of the heart that forms when the veins that feed blood and oxygen to the heart become clogged. This disease affects millions of Americans, and kills over 500,000 people in the United States alone each year. However, coronary heart disease is not just a problem that Americans face. The disease is becoming more common in Europe and other Westernized countries. Heart related diseases kill more people around the world than any other disease or causes. Many are not aware that they are suffering from coronary heart disease. The disease slowly progresses. It is possible to see the beginning signs of coronary artery disease in a child of 10 years old or younger. The heart is a muscle and needs its own supply of enriching blood, just like every other muscle and organ in the body. The heart pumps this supply of blood through the hearts chambers. The coronary artery is the main arteries of the heart and has the job of bringing the most oxygen rich blood to the heart. There are other smaller arteries that feed the heart as well. Healthy coronary arteries have very smooth and flexible walls. The walls are strong, but can become easily irritated. Substances that irritate the arteries are calcium, cholesterol, fats and cell debris. When these substances pass through the arteries in excessive amounts, small amounts will stick to the artery walls. This causes the artery walls to slowly harden and starts the onset of coronary heart disease. Over the years, the artery will become narrower due to the buildup of these substances. Eventually the artery will become clogged. The buildup that occurs inside of the coronary artery walls is called atherosclerosis. This is when the fat, debris, cholesterol and calcium turns into a hardened plaque like substance. These plaque deposits build up and continuously become thicker. Symptoms of closing arteries are chest pressure and heart pain, which is referred to as angina. At this stage, the person affected has coronary heart disease. When the blood supply to the heart is completely blocked, the result is a heart attack. Heart bypass surgery is a common way that those with coronary artery disease remove plaque buildup in the arteries. Double, Triple and Quadruple bypass surgery is for those who have arteries in various chambers of the heart blocked. These surgeries are very risky. The best way to avoid getting coronary artery disease is to prevent the disease altogether by eating a healthy and balanced diet and establishing a regular exercise routine.


Is 90 blockage of the heart is a massive heart attack?

90% blockage is not a heart attack (myocardial infarction) but could verly likely lead to one. The arterial plaque can "flake" off causing a disruption in the arterial wall thus activating platelets to form a "platelet plug". This aggregation (gathering) causes a thrombus (blood clot) which can become an embolus (traveling blood clot) which can make its way, via the blood stream, to a coronary artery. This in turn would block O2 rich blood from entering the heart muscle. This is an example of how blockage can lead to a heart attack! . Nick J.


What acucurs in a myocardial infarction?

A myocardial infraction is occurs when both coronary thrombosis and coronary embolism , a blood clot occludes or plugs up some parts of the coronary artery. Blood can not pass through the occluded vessel and so cannot reach the heart muscle cells it normally supplies, it deprived of oxygen, and the cells soon become damaged.