The Signs of a Heart Attack

 

I recently attended a lecture given by an Emergency Medicine physician about recognizing and treating a patient with a heart attack. The talk touched on some very important points and inspired me to write this post. Namely, it is important to know that the signs of a heart attack differ from person to person, from man to woman, and from young to old, BUT there are some COMMON SYMPTOMS that we should all recognize. If you or someone you know has these symptoms, seek medical attention without delay!

What exactly is a heart attack exactly? 

It is literally an attack on the muscle of your heart (called the myocardium). During a heart attack, cholesterol plaque that has built up in your coronary arteries over time (the arteries that supply your heart with blood) rupture. As the plaque ruptures, a clot forms in the artery and cuts off the blood supply to the part of your heart that the artery was supplying with blood. Your heart muscle needs blood, just like the rest of your body, to survive. Without adequate blood flow, the heart muscle dies or infarcts. This is where we get the phrase myocardial infarction. 

Rarely, a heart attack can also be caused by coronary artery spasm.

TIME is MUSCLE. The sooner you seek medical attention, the better!

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

CHEST PAIN. Sometimes this PAIN is more of a discomfort, squeezing, fullness, burning or pressure. It is not limited to the aforementioned and takes many forms. Most heart attacks give you discomfort in the middle of your chest below the breastbone. The pain can last for several minutes or come and go.

DISCOMFORT. In both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH.

OTHER.  Cold sweats, nausea, vomiting or lightheadedness.

According to the American Heart Association, "As with men, WOMEN'S most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain."

What can I do to prevent myself from having a heart attack?

Medications. Take the medications your doctor prescribes and go for check ups regularly.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Don't smoke. Smoking significantly increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.  Do not stroke. I cannot stress this enough.

Exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity everyday. Do strength training at least 2x per week.

Manage stress. Don't let people and circumstances stress you out! Manage stress with deep breathing exercises, working out, massages and relaxing vacations.

Keep conditions that can lead to a heart attack in check. For example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Eat a heart healthy diet. There is a restaurant called the Heart Attack Grill where you can get too much food for one plate! Waitresses dress up like nurses and can even push you around in a wheelchair if you so desire. In fact, you dress up like a patient to eat there! But the best and worst part is, if you are over 350 pounds you eat for free! To prevent heart attacks, don't do this!

Click HERE for heart healthy recipes from the American Heart Association.

Access the American Heart Association's Heart Attack Risk calculator by clicking HERE.