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Don’t Ignore these Heart Attack Symptoms
Heart attacks. These are frightening words for most people, and rightly so. Statistics tell us that heart disease is a leading cause of death in America. How then can we recognize when it is happening to us? What are the symptoms of a heart attack that we should be aware of in ourselves and our loved ones?
Your amazing heart was created to pump the life-giving blood throughout your body, bringing all of your cells the oxygen and nutrition that they need to survive and grow. Working hard, beating sixty to eighty times per minute, the heart itself needs a steady supply of oxygen and nourishment as well. It has its own specialized blood supply delivered through the coronary arteries, which encircle the heart. These arteries branch out into smaller vessels which transport oxygen to all areas of the heart muscle. Without oxygen, the heart muscle cannot do its necessary work. The coronary arteries can become diseased or obstructed with plaque, cholesterol, or blood clots. When this happens, the heart muscle in that area is damaged. If there is a complete obstruction, the heart muscle dies in the specific area supplied by that artery. This is commonly known as a heart attack, or more precisely, myocardial infarction.
There are a number of signs and symptoms which occur when the heart lacks oxygen. The classic symptoms of a heart attack include a crushing pain in the center of the chest, below the sternum. Many people have described this pain as, “an elephant is sitting on my chest.” Along with the pain, other symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, clammy skin, a feeling of dread or anxiety, and even a loss of consciousness. Along with these symptoms, there can be a wide variety of other warning signs. These may include jaw pain, neck pain, headache, shoulder pain, and pain radiating down either arm. These symptoms may be overlooked as signs of a heart attack. Women’s heart attack symptoms may also be overlooked, because they frequently do not fit the typical pattern described above. Women frequently report nausea, shoulder pain, and milder chest and throat pain.
The symptoms of a heart attack are sometimes vague and difficult to assess. Many people tend to ignore the early warning signs of a heart attack due to being unaware of their significance, or due to denial of the problem. However, with a heart attack, “time means muscle.” The faster that medical treatment is started, the better your chance for survival. Also, with prompt recognition and early treatment, the heart muscle can have a better chance of less long-term damage. It is recommended that persons experiencing symptoms of a heart attack call 911 immediately.