Here’s
to your health
Is
it a Heart Attack? Act Fast! February is American Heart Month. In the
United States, every year, about 1.1 million people suffer
a heart attack. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause
of death for both men and women in America.
When
many people think of a heart attack, they envision a sudden
intense event like in the movies where you see
a guy
clutch at his heart and fall down. In actuality, many heart
attacks start as a mild pain or discomfort. You may not
be sure what’s going on. And the symptoms may come and
go. Even if you’ve already experienced a heart attack,
you might not recognize a new occurrence because the symptoms
may be entirely different.
Everyone needs to know the warning signs of
a heart attack:
- Chest discomfort – Most heart attacks involve discomfort
in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few
minutes, or goes away and comes back.
The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness,
or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body – Can
include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back,
neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Shortness of breath – Often comes along with chest discomfort. But
it also can occur before chest discomfort.
- Other symptoms may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.
People
are often not sure if they are having an attack, especially
if it isn’t
like the “movie” heart attack. Uncertainty is normal. It’s
important, though, not to take a wait-and-see attitude instead of seeking help
at once. Call right away—do not wait longer than 5 minutes from when symptoms
start. It’s okay to be wrong. Emergency medical personnel want you to call
to get a heart attack checked out. And even if the call turns out to be a false
alarm, running the risk of feeling a little embarrassed is better than running
the risk of dying or having a permanently damaged heart. Like your mama told
you, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Learn the symptoms and act fast – the life you save may be your own.
To learn more about surviving a heart attack and reducing heart attack
risk, click on Links.
There’s also
a brief on-line quiz to check what you know.
[Source:
National Heart, Lungs and Blood Institute]
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