Is a heart attack a death sentence?

Not really: Heart disease is still the leading cause of death but modern advancements in medications and procedures have changed the outlook immensely.

No: Thanks to aggressive treatment, many heart attacks are treated quickly preserving heart muscle function. Many patients recover and with a proper medical regimen go on to lead active, productive lives. In fact, sometimes a heart attack motivates a patient to make lifestyle changes like quitting smoking that actually has them in better shape than before!