\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n \tRelated story \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tThe Surprising Way Dakota Johnson Struck up a Beautiful Friendship With Madonna\t\t<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n \t \n\tWhile Banderas admits the emergency was a close call, it forced him to face his own mortality in a way he never had before.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cYou always have in your mind that you\u2019re going to die,\u201d Banderas told People<\/em><\/a>. \u201cBut then when you have it so close, it\u2019s an unbelievably clear reminder of how stupid you are losing time over things that don\u2019t deserve to be in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tNow he views surviving that day as a wake-up call.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cMy heart attack<\/a> was the best thing that ever happened in my life,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was like somebody put glasses on me so I could see the reality that I didn\u2019t see before.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAccording to the American Heart Association, a heart attack<\/a> (myocardial infarction) occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. This happens when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries (a condition known as atherosclerosis<\/a>) and eventually ruptures, forming a blood clot that starves the heart of oxygen.<\/p>\n \n\tThe American Heart Association<\/a> says that the first 90 days following hospital discharge are especially risky, with roughly one in four survivors ending up readmitted. Making lifestyle adjustments \u2014 like quitting cigarettes<\/a>, minimizing stress, and staying on top of heart medications \u2014 is key to preventing a second, potentially fatal cardiac event.<\/p>\n \n\tBanderas has been open about how his habits prior to 2017 played a role in his health scare. During a 2023 interview with Fox News Digital<\/em><\/a>, he called the incident \u201ca knock at the door\u201d that forced him to stop throwing himself into work to cope with his divorce from ex-wife Melanie Griffith<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIn my case, it was a close call and advice to just really, really, really look at life in a different way,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cI was coming out of my divorce<\/a> and was confused\u2026 Making movies one behind the other. It was crazy. And, so, when I stopped, and I came out of this horse of adrenaline, is when my heart said, \u2018Pow, stop it. It\u2019s not the way.’\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Dakota](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-sheknows-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
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\n<\/section>\n<\/p>\n\n\t\tWhat Happens During a Heart Attack?\t<\/h2>\n
\n\t\tResetting His Life and Priorities\t<\/h2>\n