Tag: Heart Attack

Women and Heart Attack Warning Signs

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 Women and Heart Attack Warning Signs Early signs of a heart attack are missed in 78% of women and their heart attacks are more fatal.

*Although not exactly what Valentine’s Day is about, we here at Calamity Politics.com thought it was important to highlight women’s heart health.*

Women and Heart Attack Warning Signs

D. S. Mitchell

It’s Not Always Crushing Chest Pain  

Signs of a heart attack are often the same for both men and women, but not always.  The most common symptom of a heart attack for men most often includes “crushing” left upper chest pain. Also notable is generalized upper body pain and discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and lightheadedness. Women, however, can have a heart attack without the traditional “crushing” chest pressure/pain.”  They like men may also experience: 1) pain or pressure in the lower chest, jaw or upper abdomen, 2) dizziness or faintness, 3) upper back pressure, 4) overwhelming fatigue. Any of these symptoms without the crushing chest pain can be early signs of a pending coronary event.  Any of these signs can occur weeks before the actual heart attack.

Statistics Reveal Inequality of Research

What is important is that early signs of a heart attack are missed in 78% of women and their heart attacks are statistically more fatal than those of  men. Women often report NO chest pain. The reason for these startling facts is that the majority of heart research has centered on men. Typical tests such as electrocardiograms and blood work come out normal for women because they were designed to interpret information about men’s hearts. Often women are sent home mis-diagnosed with “anxiety” or “heartburn” when in fact they are experiencing a myocardial infarction (MI).

What’s an MI?

An MI occurs when one or more of the arteries that feed the heart with blood and oxygen is totally blocked by a blood clot or fatty plaque. This means immediate care is essential. Without treatment the affected parts of the heart will die.  Muscle tissue death, depending on how severe, typically leads to the death of the individual. An emergency trip to the cath lab is imperative during such events. It is in the cath lab where stents can be placed to open the blockage and save the patient’s life.

Our Bodies

It is time for more heart research funding to be spent on women’s cardiac health and diagnosing potentially lethal events. It is especially important that women with a family history of heart disease to be especially vigilant when assessing their symptoms. Women must be more persistent when discussing symptoms with their care givers and insistent that when something feels wrong it might very well be. We know our bodies better than the physician. Be your own best advocate.

HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS IN WOMEN:

  1. Pale clammy skin
  2. Difficulty breathing
  3. Heart fluttering or rhythm irregularities
  4. Cold sweat
  5. Unusual fatigue
  6. Dizziness and or lightheadedness
  7. Shoulder, neck, jaw, arm, and or back pain
  8. Nausea, and or vomiting
  9. Insomnia
  10. Stomach pain

If you experience any of the, above symptoms, whether you are a man or a woman, please immediately chew 160 milligrams of aspirin and call 911. Your life may well depend on it.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2017/10/12/warning-signs-of-stroke-and-heart-attack/

Warning Signs Of Stroke And Heart Attack

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Warning Signs Of Stroke And Heart Attack

D. S. Mitchell

I opened a donation request letter today from the American Heart Association. In that request letter was a sheet of paper listing the warning signs for both Heart Attack and Stroke. Remembering that Tom Petty just died of cardiac arrest, I thought it was valuable information and I should pass it on.

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them, according to the AHA, start slowly, with mild discomfort. Don’t ignore the following warning signs, you could be having a heart attack.

HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. The feeling is often described as  “pressure” “squeezing” or a “fullness” in the chest.

Other signs. These signs may include cold sweats, nausea & vomiting or light-headedness.

If you or someone that you are with is having any of the noted symptoms call 911 immediately. It is imperative that you get medical attention quickly. If you are unable to access EMS have someone take you to the hospital. Don’t drive yourself unless you have absolutely no other choice.

Stroke is a medical emergency.Every second matters, because time lost is brain lost. Watch for the following warning signs,

STROKE WARNING SIGNS:

  • Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
  • Sudden vision disturbance in one or both eyes
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or co-ordination
  • Sudden severe headache without a known cause

If you, or someone you are with, is experiencing one or more of the signs of stroke act immediately. Time is of the essence. Call 911 or EMS to have an ambulance with advanced life support come to your location. Be sure to check the time, so you will know when the first symptoms appeared. Quick action is essential. If given within three hours of the onset of symptoms a powerful clot-busting drug which can be given that potentially will reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

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