In the United States, heart health is considered to be a man's problem. While it is true that more than 390,000 men have heart attacks each year, it is also true that more than 271,000 women experience them. Studies have also shown that women have less favorable outcomes than men because they do not always suffer the same dramatic symptoms as a man having a heart attack.
A heart attack is triggered by a severe or complete cutting off of the blood supply to the heart via one of the main coronary arteries. Those with coronary heart disease will often experience a narrowing (stenosis) of the arteries due to cholesterol, which forms what is called plaque. The plaque buildup on the blood vessel walls leads to hardening of the arteries.