The heart is a muscle that constantly pumps blood through your vessels into every organ and every part of your body to supply these organs and body parts with oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products. A healthy heart is therefore crucial for your body. However, heart diseases are still one of the most important causes of death, especially in industrialized countries. A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) may occur suddenly, but it is usually the consequence of a pre-existing condition, such as atherosclerosis, that the affected patient has been living with for years, often without knowing it. People with a generally unhealthy lifestyle (e.g. overweight, stressful jobs, little physical activity) or people whose family members have been affected by heart diseases should, therefore, see SALAMTK specialist on a regular basis to check for existing heart diseases and/or to assess their risk for heart attacks.