HEART

It is important to know the symptoms of a heart attack, since one million Americans a year suffer from heart attacks, and 400,000 of them die from a cardiac arrest. A heart attack is caused by a sudden blockage of the coronary artery, and the blockage robs the heart of energy and, if it occurs for an extended period of time, a portion of the heart may die. Symptoms may be confused with other problems, such as muscle strain or flu, and knowing symptoms of a heart attack can help one to realize that a cardiac arrest is occurring and not another health problem. Symptoms of a heart attack may be dramatic or subtle. However, 25% of all heart attacks are “silent” and are without symptoms. These are the most dangerous types of heart attacks, since a cardiac arrest must be treated immediately to prevent permanent heart damage. Without symptoms, there is no telltale sign that the heart attack is occurring.

While symptoms of a heart attack can be mistaken for other problems, it is essential to know what combination of symptoms occurs to zero in on the cause of the problem. One may feel something akin to indigestion, or may experience dizziness and nausea. There may be a tight squeezing sensation in the chest, pain the shoulder, jaw pain, headache, shortness of breath and a vague feeling of doom. Any combination of these should be reported immediately, and one should go to the hospital on suspicion of a heart attack especially if one has a family history of heart problems.

Symptoms of a heart attack may be different for each person. Unfortunately, women often miss symptoms of a heart attack because of the common misconception that women are less likely to get heart attacks than men. Actually, a heart attack is a bigger killer of women than cancer. The misconception that women are protected from heart attacks is common because estrogen, the female hormone, protects against heart attacks. However, once menopause sets in and hormonal change occurs, women become vulnerable to heart attacks. The symptoms of a heart attack are the same for a woman as for a man, but a woman should be especially vigilant, since more women die from heart attacks than men.

One should be vigilant about heart attack symptoms especially if one is a smoker or has a family history of heart problems. It is essential to avoid undue stress and anger, to eat low fat foods, avoid heavy salt intake and to exercise frequently, It is also important to measure your heart rate if and blood pressure. High blood pressure, cigarette smoke and fats in the body can cause a heart attack because all of these factors constrict blood vessels. One should be careful about symptoms of a heart attack, especially if one has a strong feeling that cardiac arrest is occurring. It is better to suspect a heart attack and be wrong than to dismiss symptoms of a heart attack and to suffer unawares.