Hulk Hogan died from a heart attack. That's becoming increasingly rare
The 71-year-old died from an acute myocardial infarction, according to documents from the Pinellas County Forensic Science Center.
Hogan had a history of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a type of cancer, the documents state. This is the first time Hogan's cancer has publicly been reported.
The WWE superstar — who shared details of his health struggles in the year before his death — died July 24 at his home in Clearwater, Florida, after going into cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at Morton Plant Hospital.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., where someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Each year, about 805,000 people in the U.S. suffer from a heart attack. More than 919,000 people died from cardiovascular disease in 2023, a broader category which includes heart attacks.
In the past 50 years, heart attack deaths have fallen 89 percent, according to Stanford University researchers. Doctors say the drop is due to medical progress, as well as fewer people smoking cigarettes.
'This evolution over the past 50 years reflects incredible successes in the way heart attacks and other types of ischemic heart disease are managed,' Dr. Sara King, from Stanford School of Medicine, said in a statement.
Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, or blocked. The amount of damage this does depends on the area that is affected, the American Heart Association explains. If blood flow is reduced or stopped for too long, the heart muscle begins to die. This can occur when the arteries that supply the blood flow become narrow due to a build up of fat, cholesterol and other substances.
Symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain and pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, Cleveland Clinic states. People also may have trouble breathing and experience nausea and dizziness.
Men over 45 are at increased risk but so are those with a family history of heart disease. Smoking, diets rich in fatty foods, heavy drinking, drug use and lack of exercise are also risk factors.
Certain health conditions can put stress on your heart and increase the risk of a heart attack, including cancer and cancer treatments.
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