No one wants to have a heart attack, but many people do; sadly, funeral directors find it is the number one killer in many countries. One reason for this is obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. But even stress can cause a heart attack. Whether you are a business person running a busy business or a hard-working carpet cleaner, when you have a heart attack, it is essential to have treatment as soon as possible to lessen the damage done to the heart. The trouble is that not everyone recognises they are having a heart attack because of the symptoms they get. It is not always a pain in the heart or chest area that heralds such an attack.
Here are some of the signs of a heart attack. If they last for 10 minutes, you should dial 000.
- Pain in the lower jaw on either side extends into the chest.
- Pain or discomfort in the neck, with a burning or choking feeling in the throat. It may originate in the chest and move to the neck.
- Pain, heaviness or pressure in the shoulders that moves to the chest. One or both shoulders can be affected.
- Pain, heaviness or tightness in the centre of the chest. Generally, a stabbing, sharp pain in the chest is not indicative of a heart attack. It is more like a crushing weight.
- A dull ache between the shoulder blades that spread from the chest
- Pain, heaviness, discomfort, tingling or uselessness in one or both arms, often originating from the chest.
Secondary warning signs accompanying the above can be nausea, cold sweats, dizziness and shortness of breath.
Women seem to think the above signs are not heart attack symptoms but due to some other cause, such as indigestion or having strained a muscle somehow. However, it is essential to get help if you even suspect a heart attack, even if it is not one. If the symptoms are severe, getting worse or last longer than 10 minutes, do not wait until the morning to get help.
It is far better to be sure than sorry, and the sooner you get help, the more likely you are to survive if it is a heart attack. It if is not, the doctor or paramedics will still check you out to make sure nothing else is wrong.
If you are with someone with a heart attack, do not let them lie down, even if they want to. Keeping them sitting up is the best way to keep them alive until the ambulance arrives. If you’ve never learned CPR, doing so is a good idea. That way, you may be able to save someone’s life, like the pharmacist who gave CPR to a collapsed customer.