Every year more than 730,000 people in the U.S. experience a heart attack. The No. 1 killer of men and women, most heart attacks would be nonfatal if patients received treatment in time, according to MedicineNet.
Recognizing the symptoms
The key to getting timely treatment is the ability to recognize symptoms of a heart attack before it's too late. Movies and other media have skewed the image of what a heart attack looks like to the point that many people, particularly women and older individuals, may not even realize they are having one.
The key to getting timely treatment is the ability to recognize symptoms of a heart attack before it's too late. Movies and other media have skewed the image of what a heart attack looks like to the point that many people, particularly women and older individuals, may not even realize they are having one.
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Chest pain is a good indicator of a heart attack, but it doesn't always happen in every case. Chest pain symptomatic of a heart attack feels heavy, squeezing and typically starts in the center of the chest. The pain may come and go or last for a long time and often radiates to the neck or arms, according to MedicineNet.
According to MedicineNet and the Mayo Clinic, women are more likely to experience other symptoms with (or instead of) chest pain. Other common indicators of a heart attack include:
— Jaw pain or a headache
— Shortness of breath
— Nausea/vomiting
— Sweating
— Cramping in abdomen (occurs in upper or middle abdomen and feels heavy)
— Heartburn
— Upper back pain
— Shortness of breath
— Nausea/vomiting
— Sweating
— Cramping in abdomen (occurs in upper or middle abdomen and feels heavy)
— Heartburn
— Upper back pain
About 25 percent of all heart attacks occur with no obvious symptoms, according to MedicineNet. If you think you may be having a heart attack, call 911 or contact your doctor immediately.
Preventing a heart attack
While men are more likely to have a heart attack before the age of 55 than women are, women tend to live an unhealthier lifestyle during those same years, according to the American Heart Association. This means that when women have heart attacks they may suffer more severe, long-lasting effects, according to the American Heart Association.
While men are more likely to have a heart attack before the age of 55 than women are, women tend to live an unhealthier lifestyle during those same years, according to the American Heart Association. This means that when women have heart attacks they may suffer more severe, long-lasting effects, according to the American Heart Association.
In many cases, heart attacks are preventable. Did you know that losing just 10 percent of your body weight could decrease your risk for a heart attack, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute?
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According to WebMD, other simple ways to reduce your risk for a heart attack include:
— No smoking
— Eating lots of fruits and vegetables
— Reducing your stress
— Meditation
— Regular exercise
— No smoking
— Eating lots of fruits and vegetables
— Reducing your stress
— Meditation
— Regular exercise
Talk to your doctor before you start a new exercise regimen.