Heart Health

The key to surviving a heart attack is getting medical help early - nearly half of all deaths due to heart attack occur within 3 to 4 hours of the beginning of symptoms.

Keep in mind that not everyone experiences the same heart attack symptoms to the same degree - some older people and women can experience less obvious symptoms. Some heart attacks come on suddenly, but the vast majority start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Many people experiencing a heart attack are not sure they are having one and may think it's only heartburn or indigestion. This may result in not seeking medical attention promptly.

Therefore, it's critical to be familiar with and recognize heart attack symptoms, and to take them seriously. The following are heart attack warning symptoms:

• pain or discomfort in the chest, shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw that does not go away with rest (in women, pain may be more vague)
• pressure, heaviness, fullness, or squeezing in the chest
• shortness of breath
• nausea and/or vomiting
• sweating, or cool and clammy skin
• anxiety
• denial

If you experience these warning symptoms, the Heart and Stroke Foundation suggests doing the following things:

• Call 9-1-1.
• Stop all activity and rest (sit or lie down).
• If you are taking nitroglycerin, take your usual dose.
• If you have chest pain and are not allergic to ASA (acetylsalicylic acid, such as Aspirin® ), chew and swallow one 325 mg ASA tablet or two 81 mg tablets.
• Rest and wait for Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Acting promptly may save your life!