These are the warning signs of a heart attack:
. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest that 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.
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort.
But women are somewhat more likely than men to have some of the other common
symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
What to Do in an Emergency
Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency
medical services (EMS) staff can start treatment when they arrive. If you can't access
EMS, have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you're the one having
symptoms, don't drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option.
Your heart beats because electrical signals flow through it at timed intervals, causing it to squeeze and pump blood. Sometimes a heart attack can disrupt these electrical signals, causing the heart to flutter and go into cardiac arrest. (Cardiac arrest can also occur spontaneously.) A person in cardiac arrest will collapse and die in minutes unless they get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to maintain respiration until they can get a shock from
a device called a defibrillator to help a normal heart rhythm resume.
This is why getting training in CPR and knowing how to use an automated external
defibrillator is so important. If you are with someone who suffers cardiac arrest, you might
be able to save their life if you know CPR.
Click here to learn where you could take CPR classes in your community.
|
