Heart attacks: Back to the basics

By:  Jennifer Baumann, RN, BSN
Trauma/Stroke/CPC Coordinator and EMS Liaison

Often in the media, we hear a lot about the latest discoveries in heart disease or ongoing cardiovascular research from around the globe.  Although these topics are interesting, it’s sometimes good to get back to basics.  The following information provides helpful reminders for heart attack risk factors and prevention.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States; fortunately, heart disease is preventable if you control these simple modifiable risk factors:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking
• Diabetes
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity 

In addition to knowing and controlling your risk factors for heart disease, knowing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack is vital.

Symptoms of a heart attack may include (but are not limited to):

• Chest discomfort
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body
• Shortness of breath
• You may have other vague symptoms

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.  This discomfort can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, a squeezing, fullness, a tightness, or pain.  However, your symptoms may include pain or discomfort in one or both of your arms, your back, your neck, your jaw, or even your stomach.  Additionally, some people have reported having cold sweats, feelings of nausea or upset stomach, or a feeling of light-headedness when they suffered a heart attack with or without the feeling of chest discomfort or pain.  (To specifically learn more about symptoms a woman might experience, visit Go Red for Women.)

So remember, the lack of actual chest pain is not an indicator that a heart attack is not occurring.  If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, you should call 911 immediately.

References:

Healthy People.gov and American Heart Association