Recognizing Heart Attack Symptoms
Recognizing Heart Attack Symptoms
As people age, it becomes crucial for one to be aware of the symptoms of a heart attack. Heart attacks are very common for men and women, however, men are often more likely than women to suffer from one. Today’s society leaves many adults vulnerable to the onset of a heart attack. Most likely, this is the result of the types of horribly unhealthy yet convenient foods we consume along with not getting enough rest coupled with high stress levels. Of course, should any symptoms ensue that make you believe you are having a heart attack, you must seek medical help immediately as it could be a matter of life or death. Understanding the symptoms of a heart attack could save your life. There is a deeper meaning to the signs of a heart attack in that prevention is the best key to avoiding suffering from one.
One of the first signs of a heart attack is the feeling of uneasiness in the chest. Most common of symptoms, this uneasiness is very uncomfortable and sharply painful. Many people are unaware that they are having multiple smaller heart attacks when feeling minor chest pains. Mild and small, these minor chest pains are indeed often tiny heart attacks that lead up to a much larger attack at a later date. Upon feeling chest pains, see your doctor immediately to run the necessary tests in order to determine your heart’s health.
Another sign of a heart attack is when you feel a heaviness within the chest area. Many people associate this heaviness as if someone is placing a weight on their chest and holding it down firmly. Also associated with a squeezing feeling, many people associated this symptom as having an actual heart attack during that time as the pain is often excruciating.
Yet another symptom of an up-coming heart attack is by feeling pain in the other areas of your body including arms, shoulders, neck, and even stomach. These feelings of pain are associated with the lack of blood flow and increased pressure placed upon your heart to circulate blood to these areas. During this time, these extremities retain water to absorb the oxygen within the blood flow that allows them to sustain normal functioning.
Usually experienced more by women than men, another symptom of a heart attack is severe vomiting, sweating, cold sweats, and even giddiness. These symptoms are all related in that your heart is working much harder and pumping much more rapidly in order to maintain necessary blood flow. Often, this excessive blood flow reaches only the stomach and brain which cause the physical and psychological effects of having a heart attack.
More common in women and people with diabetes, silent heart attacks are also a symptom of a much larger attack to occur. Silent heart attacks are those that are not felt until the actual attack occurs. From this point, there is very little that is able to be done other than rushing to a hospital. From this point, necessary tests are able to be ran which could assist in diagnosing larger health concerns.