If you think you’re having, or just had, a heart attack, going to the ER is a must. There simple blood work and observation can easily assess if your heart’s being/been damaged, and immediate steps can be taken to stop and reverse the damage.
But would you recognize heart attack symptoms? They don’t look like the movies—heart attack symptoms in women are completely different than in men, and in populations already at high risk (the elderly, diabetics, and smokers) as many as 2 out of 3 heart attacks may not be recognized.
Heart attack symptoms in women may look more like: nausea, extreme weakness, fatigue, clamminess, shortness of breath, and upper back pain rather than the left arm pain often seen portrayed.
Some signs of a heart attack may not be as sudden as often portrayed, either. The pain may be milder, and mistaken for heartburn. Or you could sleep through the heart attack symptoms, and never know that your heart had been damaged, and that you were at increased risk for a second heart attack.
It’s a lot harder to diagnose a heart attack after the fact. But if you’ve had one, doctors often work harder to help you get your cardiovascular system in shape. So it’s important to know the signs of a heart attack, and to get treatment even if you aren’t sure to avoid more serious repercussions.
So, what do you think. Do you have enough information to recognize the signs of a heart attack?
