A heart attack is usually caused by blockage in the _____________.

A heart attack is usually caused by blockage in the _____________.

• A. Aorta
• B. Pulmonary artery
• C. Inferior vena cava
• D. Coronary artery

Answer: (D)

A heart attack happens when the blood supply to the heart muscle itself is blocked. The coronary arteries are the vessels that specifically feed the heart with oxygen-rich blood; when one becomes narrowed or blocked by a clot or plaque, the part of the heart muscle it supplies is starved of oxygen. Without that oxygen, the heart muscle can be damaged or die, which is the myocardial infarction we call a heart attack. The other vessels have different roles: the aorta carries blood to the body, the pulmonary artery sends blood to the lungs for oxygen, and the inferior vena cava returns blood to the heart. A blockage in those would cause different problems rather than the classic heart attack.

A heart attack happens when the blood supply to the heart muscle itself is blocked. The coronary arteries are the vessels that specifically feed the heart with oxygen-rich blood; when one becomes narrowed or blocked by a clot or plaque, the part of the heart muscle it supplies is starved of oxygen. Without that oxygen, the heart muscle can be damaged or die, which is the myocardial infarction we call a heart attack. The other vessels have different roles: the aorta carries blood to the body, the pulmonary artery sends blood to the lungs for oxygen, and the inferior vena cava returns blood to the heart. A blockage in those would cause different problems rather than the classic heart attack.