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4
q
fayette health notes
Beready
to
act
IF
there’s any chance you—or anyone around
you—could be having a heart attack, a wait-and-see
approach is never a good choice.
Here are two reasons why:
1
e rst hour a er symptoms start is the
most dangerous time of a heart attack. is is
when your heart might suddenly stop beating.
Your very survival may depend on receiving
medical care.
2
Doctors today have clot-busting drugs and
artery-opening procedures that can stop or reverse
a heart attack. ese treatments can limit damage
to the heart. But to be most e ective, they must be
given shortly a er symptoms appear.
Even so, most people in the midst of a heart at-
tack delay getting emergency help.
Some let precious minutes slip by because they
falsely blame their symptoms on something else.
Still others are afraid of looking foolish if they go
to the hospital and learn they’re not having a heart
attack.
Don’t make either of those mistakes.
Know these heart attack warning signs, and
respond to them immediately by calling 911.
Sources: American Heart Association; National Institutes of Health
Chest discomfort.
This signature
heart attack symptom a ects
the center of the chest and
lasts for more than a few
minutes—or goes away and
comes back. Discomfort can feel
like uncomfortable pressure,
squeezing, fullness or actual pain.
Sweating, nausea or light-
headedness.
Women in particular
are prone to nausea, vomiting
or indigestion during a heart
attack. Other warning signs
may include a sudden feeling
of dizziness or unexplained or
excessive sweating.
Discomfort elsewhere in the body.
Pain or discomfort in the back,
shoulders, neck, jaw, stomach,
or one or both arms may be
involved. Pain in the back, neck
or jaw is a more common heart
attack symptom for women than
it is for men.
Shortness of breath.
This
symptom can occur suddenly
and may happen while you
are resting or doing routine
activities. It may accompany
chest discomfort or come
before it. Or it can be your only
symptom.
DON’T DELAY
CALL 911
Know the signs of a heart attack
If you’re uncertain about whether you’re
having a heart attack, don’t second-guess
yourself.
Call 911 within a few minutes— ve at
most—of the start of symptoms.
Sources: American Heart Association; National Institutes of Health
Your hands can help save lives. For a video about CPR, visit
www.morehealth.org/cpr
.