Heart Attacks (Myocardial Infarctions)

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.  There are early warning signs, known risk factors, and treatment available, that can prevent death and disability due to heart attacks.  Research has found a relationship between environmental factors, like air pollution, and cardiovascular disease. 

The California Environmental Health Tracking Program (CEHTP) provides heart attack data and information in an effort to better understand this relationship.

Additional information about heart attacks is provided in the links below. Select a topic below or use the left side bar to navigate.

• What is a Heart Attack:  A heart attack occurs, most often as a result of heart disease, when blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. Heart attacks can be prevented by...more
• Who is at Risk:  Heart attacks are acute events that most often occur among people with chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Different segments of the population bear a disproportionate burden of hospitalizations due to heart attack...more
• Prevention & Treatment:  It’s important to know the warning signs of a heart attack. Warning signs include chest pain, upper body discomfort (e.g.arms, back, neck, jaw, stomach), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and fainting...more
• Heart Attacks & the Environment:  In addition to the many risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), researchers have also found CVD is associated with environmental factors such as ...more
• How is it Measured:  To understand who is at risk for heart attacks in California, it is important to look at prevalence morbidity, mortality, and who has risk factors for heart attacks....more
• Where to Find Data:  There are a number of sources for heart disease information for CA and the US.  CEHTP provides data and information related to hospitalizations due to heart attacks...more
• Heart Attack Resources
• Metadata / Data FAQs