What physiological response helps a person survive a heart attack? Does the immune system play into the survival?

This is a great question Evelyn!  

Normally, a heart attack occurs due to the presence of heart disease.  An artery becomes restricted and prevents blood flow to an area of the heart muscle causing it to become injured and scarred.

There is a lot of chatter about immunity and coronary artery disease, but it is more about shutting OFF the immune response to control inflammation.  A study done in Italy this year (2011) focused on this finding and are actually using immune surpressive agents to see if they can slow the progression of heart disease and prevent a second heart attack.

Inflammation is the killer here (as it is for many many other illnesses), and inflammation is a repsonse of your immune system.  Recent studies indicate that it is the inflammation of the heart arteries, not so much the build up of plaque, that causes the narrowing and rupture of the heart artery in a heart attack.

Inflammation can be controlled by diet. Simply, more Omega 3's and less Omega 6's

See this post:

http://sisterearthorganics.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/the-slimy-smelly-but-healthy-fish-oil-story/

Oddly, older folks survive heart attacks better, but take longer to recover than younger folks, say, in their 40's and 50's. That's because as you age, you grow "collateral" blood supplies, new tiny blood vessels around the one's that are narrowed.  Young people don't have those extra vessels formed yet.

To recover from a heart attack faster, exercise, and stay at optimum weight.

Thanks for that question! You are on the cutting edge with that one!