what to do if a person has a heart attack
A myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply to the heart is interrupted. Historically, this condition was thought to primarily occur in men, but recent studies advise that folks of all genders, including women, are simply as susceptible to cardiovascular disease. However, since much of the historic research on heart assault symptoms focuses on men, other symptoms, such as those particular to women, take been overlooked and understudied.
With this in mind, understanding various symptoms associated with myocardial infarctions can help a person experiencing a center attack receive the care they demand in a timely manner.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
The symptoms of a middle set on may not always be obvious. However, common, identifiable symptoms of a centre set on may include:
- Angina: Angina describes the feeling of hurting, discomfort, pressure, or tightness in the eye of the breast associated with restricted blood flow to the heart. It commonly lasts for several minutes or more, or presents intermittently. The symptoms of angina may resemble the symptoms felt in severe heartburn. In a eye assail, these feelings do non get abroad with rest.
- Hurting or Discomfort in the Upper Body: A person experiencing a myocardial infarction may feel intense pain in the upper body, including the arms, left shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach. Ane of the "classic" symptoms of a middle attack is pain radiating down the left arm.
- Difficulty Animate: Shortness of breath or difficulty taking in a total breath are commonly seen symptoms during a center assail. In some cases this may exist the just symptom.
- Sweating: A person experiencing a center assail may break into a cold sweat during or prior to the assault episode. Their skin may become wet or damp.
- Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Indigestion, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting are all associated gastrointestinal symptoms of a heart attack.
- Dizziness: A person having a heart attack may start to feel extremely airheaded, giddy, or weak in the extremities. They may even collapse or lose consciousness.
- Variations in normal heartbeat rhythm: 1 may experience a rapid or irregular heartbeat, which may be felt as palpitations. Feelings of anxiety are oftentimes associated with a rapid heart rate.
Recognizing Heart Attack Signs in Women
The common symptoms listed below may not fully represent the spectrum of symptoms a person tin feel during a heart set on. While people of all genders may feel an intense breast heaviness during a eye attack, it is not uncommon for some women to experience a middle attack without that heaviness.
In fact, some women may but experience shortness of breath and, mayhap, a slight chest hurting coupled with lightheadedness. In fact, women are more likely than men to experience a eye attack with what have been dubbed "less-typical" symptoms. Other less-typical symptoms include the post-obit:
- Upper back or shoulder pain
- Jaw pain or pain spreading to the jaw
- Force per unit area in the heart of the chest
- Sweating
- Light-headedness or dizziness
- Unusual fatigue — as if they completed a strenuous cardiovascular exercise
If you lot experience any of the symptoms listed above, you should seek medical care. Withal, a doc will likely be unable to diagnose a heart attack based on your physical symptoms alone. Typically, doctors will run a series of tests and order lab work to confirm that a myocardial infarction has occurred. Moreover, when it comes to diagnosing a middle attack, knowing your medical history and risk factors can show extremely helpful to your physician.
Risk Factors for Heart Affliction Amid Women
Beyond the board, risk factors for heart disease include elevated cholesterol levels, high claret pressure level (or hypertension), and obesity. Nonetheless, some run a risk factors are more significant for women. These take a chance factors include:
- Smoking Cigarettes or Tobacco Products: Smoking is known to increase any individual's take a chance of developing centre illness. If you smoke currently, consider a nicotine-substitute product such as a transdermal nicotine patch government to help you wean yourself off cigarettes.
- Lack of (or Decreased) Concrete Activity: Regular physical activeness is known to improve a person's cardiovascular and overall wellness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five times per week for the average adult.
- Having Diabetes: Women who have diabetes demonstrate an increased adventure of heart illness.
- Family History: A woman with a family history of center illness has a higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, peculiarly if that person is an immediate relative.
- Complications Arising From Pregnancy: At times, pregnancy tin can be associated with a variety of complications, which range greatly in severity from slightly elevated blood pressure to preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. These complications tin raise a person's risk of developing heart disease due to the boosted stress placed on their cardiovascular arrangement during pregnancy. With this in mind, it's essential that a person who is pregnant receives adequate prenatal intendance to ensure their health remains stable both during and after their pregnancy.
- Beingness in Menopause: Minor vessel cardiovascular affliction has been linked to decreased estrogen levels, frequently seen during menopause for some women.
Heart Disease Prevention
Remaining aware of your risk for cardiovascular disease is essential. With that sensation, you can effort to make healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices, thus minimizing your overall risk. Some ways to reduce risk include:
- Quitting Smoking: If you are a smoker, attempt methods of quitting such as using transdermal nicotine patches or lozenges. Smoking is a major risk gene for middle disease.
- Making Good for you Diet Choices: Beingness overweight or obese, also as having a diet high in saturated fats are all risk factors for centre disease. Attempt making minor, gradual changes, such as opting for filling your dinner plate with more vegetables or incorporating foods high in fiber into your diet.
- Increasing Your Action Level: If you sit at a desk all twenty-four hours, wait for ways to move your body, perhaps by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking a walk around the office parking lot at dejeuner. Physical inactivity can increase your take chances for heart illness.
- Seeing Your Physician Regularly: Schedule a yearly checkup with your medico to ensure you are in practiced health. If y'all take medications for something like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work with your doctor to remain in command of your levels.
- Listening to Your Body: If you have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack that concluding longer than five minutes, don't ignore them. Seek emergency intendance to rule out a heart attack.
Remember: physicians who care for centre attacks often country that "time is muscle" — which ways that recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack sooner rather than afterward tin can greatly better your odds of both survival and recovery.
Resource Links:
- "Heart Assault Symptoms in Women" via American Heart Association
- "Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery" via Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC)
- "Myocardial infarction in women: promoting symptom recognition, early diagnosis, and hazard assessment" via National Library of Medicine, NIH
- "Women'south early alarm symptoms of acute myocardial infarction" via National Library of Medicine, NIH
- "The heart attack gender gap" via Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School
Source: https://www.symptomfind.com/healthy-living/heart-attack-symptoms-in-women?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740013%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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