Q's Health News

A heart attack is serious business, and time is of the essence. If you think you or someone you know is having symptoms of a heart attack, call 9-1-1 and seek help immediately!

The most talked-about symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. On TV, chest pain is often portrayed as an excruciating, crushing pain in the center or left-of-center of the chest. However, chest pain may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, pain, or may even feel like heartburn or indigestion, and the pain may come and go. But many people who suffer a heart attack, do not even exhibit this symptom.

Upper body discomfort or pain is another symptom of a heart attack. This pain may be felt in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach. Another symptom may be shortness of breath, which could occur at with activity or even at rest. Other less common symptoms of a heart attack are breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling unusually tired for no reason, nausea and vomiting, or sudden dizziness.

The symptoms of a heart attack vary from person to person. Some people have very few symptoms and are surprised when they find out they’ve had a heart attack.

A heart attack (also called: myocardial infarction or MI) happens when oxygen-rich blood is blocked and cannot reach all of the heart muscle. When this happens, the cells in the part of the heart muscle that cannot get oxygen will soon begin to die. The blockage often occurs because of plaque build-up in the arteries of the heart. The plaque breaks open inside the artery, which causes a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the blood clot becomes too large, it can block the flow of blood, leading to a heart attack.

Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices can definitely decrease your chance of having a heart attack. Those choices include eating a heart-healthy diet, engaging in routine physical activity, managing stress, quitting smoking and managing your weight. In addition to those, if you have life-long diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, and peripheral artery disease, be sure to see your healthcare provider as instructed and follow the plan to manage those diseases.

Remember, if you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack:

• Chest pain or discomfort

• Upper body pain

• Shortness of breath

• Suddenly breaking out in a cold sweat

• Feeling unusually tired

• Nausea and vomiting

• Sudden dizziness

CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY!

Thanks for joining me! If you have questions or comments, you can find me at the Carter County Public Health office in DMHA or email me at [email protected].