heart attack
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heart attack
A life-threatening medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is blocked by a blood clot, leading to the death of heart muscle tissue.
Nach einem schweren Herzinfarkt musste er mehrere Wochen im Krankenhaus bleiben.
After a severe heart attack, he had to stay in the hospital for several weeks.
The word is a clear compound of 'Herz' (heart) and 'Infarkt' (infarction). 'Infarkt' is the medical term for the blockage of a blood vessel that leads to the death of tissue.
Risikofaktoren für einen Herzinfarkt sind Rauchen und Bluthochdruck.
Risk factors for a heart attack include smoking and high blood pressure.
In connection with a heart attack, the verbs 'haben' (to have), 'bekommen' (to get), or 'erleiden' (to suffer) are usually used. The most formal and dramatic variant is 'einen Herzinfarkt erleiden' (to suffer a heart attack).
Mein Großvater hatte letztes Jahr einen leichten Herzinfarkt.
My grandfather had a mild heart attack last year.
In everyday language, the phrase 'einen Herzinfarkt bekommen/kriegen' (to get/have a heart attack) is often used as an exaggeration. It then expresses extreme fright, stress, or great excitement, without there being a medical emergency.
Als ich die Rechnung sah, habe ich fast einen Herzinfarkt bekommen!
When I saw the bill, I almost had a heart attack!
