Blockages in the blood vessels to the heart can limit blood flow. If low blood flow lasts long enough, a section of heart tissue dies. This condition is known as a myocardial infarction, which is commonly called a “heart attack.” Researchers have observed that poorer people do worse after heart attack than wealthier people. One potential explanation for this observation is that poorer patients are more likely than wealthier patients to have risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Some experts speculate that poorer patients have more stress, which might contribute to worse outcomes. Other explanations might be that poor patients do not have good access to health care or have difficulty making positive changes in their lifestyle after they have a heart attack.