Heart Attack

What is Heart Attack ?

Warning signs of Heart Attack :

Catch the signs early.
Don’t wait to get help if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. But most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you experience:

• Chest discomfort : Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body :Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath : This can occur with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs : Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Heart Attack symptoms in Women :

Women often experience heart attack symptoms differently than men. It’s important for a woman to be able to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and react quickly by calling 911.

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• Similar to 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.

• Although men and women can experience chest pressure that feels like an elephant sitting across the chest, women can experience a heart attack without chest pressure. Instead they may experience shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, upper back pressure or extreme fatigue.
• Even when the signs are subtle, the consequences can be deadly, especially if the patient doesn’t get help right away.
• Even though heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, women often chalk up the symptoms to less life-threatening conditions like acid reflux, the flu or normal aging.
• They do this because they are scared and because they put their families first. There are still many women who are shocked that they could be having a heart attack.
• A heart attack strikes someone about every 43 seconds. It occurs when the blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. This happens because the arteries that supply the heart with blood can slowly narrow from a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances (plaque).