Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Warnings Of A Heart Attack

By Luke Walton


Heart attacks cause one fifth of all fatalities here in the United States and are the leading cause of death. Strokes are the third leading cause of death and the most significant cause of physical or mental impairment. Both heart attack and strokes are caused by a lack of blood flow to a major organ. With a heart attack oxygenated blood cannot reach a certain area of the heart. With strokes it is the brain that is starved of oxygen. When an organ does not have access to a supply of oxygen it begins to die.

If we were all able to recognize the warning of a heart attack or stroke and react quickly by calling 911 many lives would be saved each year. In fact many fatalities occur because people fail to recognize the warnings of a heart attack or stroke until it is too late. If you think that you would not recognize the warnings of a heart attack or stroke then read on. It might just save your life or that of a loved one.

Heart attacks generally do not begin with a very strong pain that knocks you off your feet. Usually the first pains one gets when having a heart attack are mild to moderate and gradually become more intense. The pain feels like someone is squeezing or clutching at your chest from inside. The pain of a heart attack is not necessarily confined to the chest. It can impact other areas of the upper body such as the back, arms, neck or jaw. The pain is often accompanied by a shortness of breath, sweating, a rapid heart rate and a feeling of approaching disaster.Warnings of a heart attack or stroke can differ according to gender. For instance heart attack warnings for men are more likely to include pain that occurs predominantly in the right side of the chest and what feels like indigestion. Women are more likely to experience symptoms such as weakness and abnormal fatigue up to a month before having a heart attack.

In most cases a heart attack is that particular disorder in which the oxygen to flow to the heart is disrupted. Generally this occurs when there is a blockage within the coronary arteries. The signs of a stroke include a sudden and intense headache, trouble seeing, loss of balance, confusion, difficulty speaking correctly, loss of muscle coordination and a feeling of numbness down one side of the body. If someone you are with is having a stroke you may notice that their speech becomes slurred or incoherent. Their face may also droop down on one side and if they raise their arms one will drop lower than the other.

If you or someone that you are with experiences any of the warnings of a heart attack or stroke it is very important to react rapidly. If the symptoms last for more than a minute or two call 911 right away. Even if the symptoms go away the person who experienced them still needs the attention of a doctor. Bear in mind that it is better to make a mistake and call 911 when it wasn't necessary than to deter calling when it was. Acting rapidly and calmly in this kind of situation can save lives and limit disabilities.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment