Heart attacks should not be confused with heart failure. Heart failure is a chronic, long-standing condition in which the heart can no longer pump adequate blood supply for the body’s needs.
Know the symptoms
Symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person. If you think you may be having a heart attack, seek medical help and call 911 immediately.
The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major symptoms of a heart attack:
- Tightness and discomfort in the chest area. Most heart attacks cause pain in the center of the chest, lasting for more than a few minutes. Discomfort may subside for a minutes and then return. The sensation is an uncomfortable pressure, a feeling of swelling, fullness, or a painful squeezing.
- Pain or discomfort in other areas of the body, including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath. This symptom may occur before any feeling of discomfort arises in the chest, but most often accompanies it.
- Sweating and nausea. Breaking out in a cold sweat, or experiencing nausea and light-headedness is also common in the advent of a heart attack.
To improve your heart health and prevent a heart attack, maintain a healthy weight, exercise, quit smoking, eat a healthy diet, manage blood pressure and cholesterol, and visit your doctor or cardiac specialist for regular medical checkups.
Remember, if you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Stop by one of our Los Angeles are offices or give us a call to make an appointment to check the health of your heart.
