According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , about 19.8 million people around the world died from heart disease in 2022, with about 85% of these deaths attributed to stroke and heart attack . Medically known as myocardial infarction, a heart attack occurs when blood in the arteries is blocked from being able to reach the heart. Arterial blockage can be caused by the formation of blood clots, a coronary artery spasm , or the buildup of plaque — made partially from cholesterol , an event