What actually happens during a heart attack?

  Hi,I'm a student at California State University. I'm am currently enrolled in a Human Physiology class.
  I would like to know what actually happens in a heart attack?
  If a heart is myogenic, how come it has nerve connections?

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

Dear Karen, thank you for your question.  Basically, during a heart attack, a clot forms in a coronary artery and blood flow to the heart muscle is obstructed.  The heart, like all muscles, is innervated by sensory nerves.  When blood flow is cut off and the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, intense chest pain usually results.  Cardiac muscle cells rapidly necrose after the cessation of blood flow and irreverisible damage occurs if blood flow isn't rapidly restored with thrombolytic medications or with angioplasty.  For more specific information, I suggest that you look at a cardiology textbook that should be available at the closest medical library.  Good luck!