WARNING SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK

Years ago, if you had a heart attack it was very likely you would not recover.  However, with advancement of modern medicine, people are now surviving heart attacks and going on to live long, productive lives.  Today we are better educated about what to watch out for and what to do if we think someone is having a heart attack.  If you know the warning signs of a heart attack and act promptly you will have a greater chance of surviving a heart attack or assisting someone else who might be having a heart attack.    Some warning signs of a heart attack are textbook and include chest pain described as "tightness" or "heaviness".  People will often report feeling like an elephant is sitting on their chest.  They may also report that the pain radiates down their arm or up into their jaw.  Another classic symptom is nausea and or vomiting.  Many people will break out in a cold, drenching sweat and most will complain of shortness of breath.  While these are textbook signs of a heart attack, not all people have textbook heart attacks.  Often, the signs are more subtle and slow and some people will have no pain at all.  This is particularly true of diabetics.  The important thing to remember if you suspect you might be having a heart attack is that "Time is Muscle".  The heart is a muscle and therefore needs oxygen in order to survive just like any other part of your body.  If you were to put a tourniquet around your arm you would deprive that arm of oxygen and blood supply you would begin to experience pain and if left on long enough your arm would eventually fall off.  The same is true of the heart.  If a part of the heart muscle is not receiving adequate blood supply you will begin to experience pain, a warning sign that something is wrong.  If blood supply is not restored soon, that part of the heart muscle will eventually die and it cannot be restored which means you would be left with only part of your heart's ability to contract or pump as before.  This is why seeking prompt medical attention is so important.  The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner the medical staff is able to remove the blockage and restore blood supply to that portion of the heart, thus saving you heart muscle for later use.  So, while it may be scary to think you are having a heart attack, if you know the warning signs to look for and you seek prompt medical attention you may be saving yourself precious heart muscle for later use and a longer life.