A heart attack, also called myocardial infarction (MI) creates serious health risks and can endanger life. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle stops or decreases. The obstruction in the coronary arteries disrupts the flow of blood in one part of the heart, due to permanent damage to the heart muscle. The coronary artery takes blood to the heart, allowing it to work. There are obstructions when the formation of fat, cholesterol and other substances formed, plaques in deposited blood vessels formed. These obstructions can damage the heart muscles by limiting blood flow. Plaques can be damaged over time and release platelets. These platelets can cause the blood to clot. They may collect around a plaque, eventually blocking blood flow; the severity of damage will depend on the size of the blockage in the coronary arteries. A cardiac arrest is often mislabeled as a heart attack. However, a cardiac arrest occurs when the heart abruptly stops working and they are less severe than those of other types of coronary artery disease.