Approximately 7 million people around the world die from heart attacks every year,
世界上每年有7百万的人死于心脏病发作，
and cardiovascular disease, which causes heart attacks and other problems like strokes, is the world's leading killer.
而心血管疾病能够导致心脏病发作和其他问题，比如中风，使其成为了世界第一大杀手。
So what causes a heart attack?
是什么导致了心脏病发作呢？
Like all muscles, the heart needs oxygen, and during a heart attack, it can't get enough.
像所有的肌肉一样， 心脏也需要氧气，但在心脏病发作的时候，它就会缺氧。
Fatty deposits, or plaques, develop on the walls of our coronary arteries.
脂肪堆积，或者斑块，会出现在我们的冠状动脉壁上。
Those are the vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart.
这些血管能够供应含氧血液到心脏。
These plaques grow as we age, sometimes getting chunky, hardened, or enflamed.
这些斑块会随着我们的年纪增长有时候变大，变硬，或者发炎。
Eventually, the plaques can turn into blockages.
最终，斑块会变成堵塞物。
If one of the plaques ruptures or cracks, a blood clot will form around it in minutes,
如果有一个斑块断裂或者破损，在其附近便会立即形成一个血块，
and a partially closed artery can become completely blocked.
本来部分堵塞的动脉就会完全堵塞。
Blood flow is cut off to the cardiac muscle and the oxygen-starved cells start to die within several minutes.
到心肌的血液供应就会被切断，在随后的几分钟之内，缺氧的细胞就会开始死亡。
This is a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
这就是心肌梗塞，或者心脏病发作。
Things can rapidly deteriorate in the absence of treatment.
在得不到治疗的情况下，病情就会迅速恶化。
The injured muscle may not be able to pump blood as well, and its rhythm might be thrown off.
病发的心脏不能再供血，心跳可能失去节奏。
In the worst case scenario, a heart attack can cause sudden death.
最糟糕的情况是，心脏病发作可以导致猝死。
And how do you know that someone is having a heart attack?
那么怎样才能知道一个人是否心脏病发作了？
The most common symptom is chest pain caused by the oxygen-deprived heart muscle.
最常见的症状是胸口痛是心肌缺氧导致的。
Patients describe it as crushing or vice-like.
患者将其形容为牢牢的压迫感。
It can radiate to the left arm, jaw, back, or abdomen.
它可以蔓延到左臂、下颚、背部或者腹部。
But it's not always as sudden and dramatic as it is in the movies.
但心脏病发作并不一定像电影中那么夸张。
Some people experience nausea or shortness of breath.
一些人只是感到恶心或呼吸急促。
Symptoms may be less prominent in women and the elderly.
女性和长者的症状或许更不明显。
For them, weakness and tiredness may be the main signal.
他们也许只会感到无力和疲倦。
And surprisingly, in many people, especially those with diabetes,
出人意料的是，在一些人群中，特别是糖尿病患者，
which affects the nerves that carry pain, a heart attack may be silent.
由于疼痛神经受到影响，心脏病发作时也许并不易察觉。

If you think that someone might be having a heart attack, the most important thing is to respond quickly.
如果你觉得某人心脏病正在发作，最重要是迅速应对。
If you have access to emergency medical services, call them.
如果有机会获得紧急医疗服务，就迅速联系他们。
They're the fastest way to get to a hospital.
这是就医的最快途径。
Taking aspirin, which thins the blood, and nitroglycerin, which opens up the artery,
阿司匹林可稀释血液，硝酸甘油则能扩张动脉，
can help keep the heart attack from getting worse.
服用这些都可以缓解心脏病发作。
In the emergency room, doctors can diagnose a heart attack.
在急救室，医生可以诊断心脏病。
They commonly use an electrocardiogram to measure the heart's electrical activity
他们通常用心电图来测量心电活动，
and a blood test to assess heart muscle damage.
而验血可以测量心肌损伤。
The patient is then taken to a high-tech cardiac suite where tests are done to locate the blockages.
然后患者会使用先进的心脏医疗设备来定位心血管堵塞的位置。
Cardiologists can reopen the blocked artery by inflating it with a balloon in a procedure called an angioplasty.
心内科医生可以用血管成形术（使用充气气球扩张）来扩张阻塞的动脉。
Frequently, they also insert a metal or polymer stent that will hold the artery open.
医生通常还会植入金属或聚合物支架，它能使心脏动脉保持扩张。
More extensive blockages might require coronary artery bypass surgery.
严重血管堵塞则需要进行心脏搭桥手术。
Using a piece of vein or artery from another part of the body, heart surgeons can reroute blood flow around the blockage.
手术使用其他部位的动脉或静脉来改变血液流通路径。
These procedures reestablish circulation to the cardiac muscle, restoring heart function.
这些手术恢复了心肌的循环，恢复了心脏功能。
Heart attack treatment is advancing, but prevention is vital.
心脏病治疗在进步，但预防是关键。
Genetics and lifestyle factors both affect your risk.
基因遗传和生活方式影响都会影响患病风险。
And the good news is that you can change your lifestyle.
好消息是你可以通过改变生活方式降低风险。
Exercise, a healthy diet, and weight loss all lower the risk of heart attacks, whether you've had one before or not.
锻炼，健康饮食，控制体重都可以降低心脏病发作的风险，无论你以前是否患过心脏病。
Doctors recommend exercising a few times a week, doing both aerobic activity and strength training.
医生建议一周进行多次锻炼，包括有氧活动和力量训练。
A heart-healthy diet is low in sugar and saturated fats, which are both linked to heart disease.
健康饮食包括低糖和低饱和脂肪，这些都与心脏病发作有关。
So what should you eat? Lots of fiber from vegetables, chicken and fish instead of red meat,
那你应该吃些什么呢？多吃蔬菜纤维、鸡肉和鱼肉来取代红肉，
whole grains and nuts like walnuts and almonds all seem to be beneficial.
全谷物和坚果，如核桃和杏仁，这些都是有益的。
A good diet and exercise plan can also keep your weight in a healthy range,
健康的饮食和锻炼可以令你保持健康的体重，
which will lower your heart attack risk as well.
能够降低心脏病发作的风险。
And of course, medications can also help prevent heart attacks.
当然，药物也可以防止心脏病发作。
Doctors often prescribe low-dose aspirin, for example,
比如医生通常会开低剂量的阿司匹林，
particularly for patients who've already had a heart attack and for those known to be at high risk.
给已经有过心脏病发作的人或那些高风险群体。
And drugs that help manage risk factors,
还有药物能够减低其他风险因素，
like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, will make heart attacks less likely, too.
比如高血压，胆固醇和糖尿病的药物，也能降低心脏病的发作几率。
Heart attacks may be common, but they don't have to be inevitable.
心脏病发作也许很常见，但并非不可避免。
A healthy diet, avoiding tobacco use, staying fit, and enjoying plenty of sleep and lots of laughter
健康饮食、不抽烟、健身锻炼、睡眠充足，开怀大笑，
all go a long way in making sure your body's most important muscle keeps on beating.
都可以让你的心脏，这块人体最重要的肌肉，保持健康。