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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
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Heart Attack Warning Signs & Heart Health The leading cause of death in the United States is cardiovascular disease. This website presents information about modifiable behaviors (exercise, diet) which may help prevent heart attacks. Many things, however, including family history, age, and other risk factors may lead to a heart attack (such as chronic kidney disease). 800,000 people experience a heart attack each year and warning signs might prove useful to you or a loved one. Not all heart attacks are the same for all people (women vs men) and not all have the same symptoms. Here are some differences as provided by the Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter and others. As they point out, some heart attacks are sudden and intense, and others increase in intensity more slowly. 1. Chest Discomfort: This is the most common symptom for men and women: Discomfort in the center of the chest which lasts or is intermittent. People say they feel pressure or pain, or other symptoms. 2. Other Discomfort: Present in the back, neck, arms, stomach, jaw (For women, most common symptoms include the jaw or back.) 3. Shortness of Breath: (More common in women) 4. Other Signs: These may include breaking out in cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Women may experience nausea or vomiting. Their advice: Don't hesitate, call 911 immediately. Professor Angela Clerk, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Redding adds to the list of symptoms that may indicate heart complications: "irregular heartbeat, changes in blood pressure, swelling of feet and ankles, unaccounted breathlessness and reduced ability to exercise." What can happen: Like other muscles of the body, the heart muscle needs oxygen and blood to function. If you have a specific form of arteriosclerosis called atherosclerosis (plaque lining the walls of the arteries) and it ruptures, a resulting clot formation can cut off the oxygen to the heart and cause a heart attack, or if routed to the brain can cause a stroke. Professor Clerk strongly advocates a healthy lifestyle to help protect your heart. "You have only one heart that has to last your lifetime, so you need to look after it." She adds, "The problem is that the heart simply cannot repair itself, so any damage is there for life." Modifiable risk factors: tobacco use, poor diet, lack of exercise, too much stress, not enough sleep, too much alcohol. Other factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol may need a doctor's intervention. Diabetes more than doubles your chances of developing heart disease according to the Harvard Heart Letter. The Letter encourages even non-exercisers to begin no matter what age as it "can still reduce your odds of a heart attack or stroke." Regular medical check-ups that monitor your blood sugar, blood pressure and LDL cholesterol are strongly recommended to give an accurate picture of your health. One last recommendation from Harvard Health: Get your flu shot! This is a relatively inexpensive (or in some cases, free) way to boost your health profile. They point out that older people hospitalized for flu complications such as pneumonia have four times the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, or dying in the month following their illness from heart disease. If you are interested in more detailed information, check the American Heart Association's website: www.heart.org under Healthy Living. Last Word Take Charge: As the title of my last book urges: outside of genetic factors, and the necessity of medical intervention at crucial times, individuals can do more for themselves than doctors can do for them. Take Charge. October, 2024 Comment on this article: FEEDBACK Ripped Enterprises, P.O. Box 51236, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87181-1236 Home | Products Index | Ripped Bks | Lean Adv. Bks | Lean For Life | Recommended Bks | |Consultations | Tapes | To Order | Feedback] Copyright © 2024 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
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