Heart Attack

Heart attack symptoms include chest pain which is usually described as a sensation of tightness, pressure or squeezing, which can radiate over the chest to the left shoulder and down the left arm. It can also radiate to the jaw, or appear between the shoulders. This pain symptom can be confused with really bad indigestion.

Other symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting sweating, palpitations, and anxiety or a feeling of impending doom. The feeling usually comes on over several minutes. Women often experience different symptoms to men with shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue being the most common symptoms.

Women are at just as much risk of dying from a heart attack as men. They just tend to get them a few years later

Half of all heart attacks cause some warning symptoms such as chest pain before the attack. Many people will suffer from angina.

A quarter of all heart attacks are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms.

Immediate treatment of a heart attack is important by calling an ambulance without delay, though the statistics show most people wait for an hour or two before taking action. However, this first hour is called the "golden hour" and your chances of recovery are much greater if you are treated within this period.

Take an aspirin straight after calling the ambulance. Crush and chew an ordinary aspirin or dissolve a soluble aspirin in water and drink it down. This will help to thin the blood to minimise further blood clotting around the blocked area.

Prompt treatment of a heart attack during the first "golden hour" increases your chances of recovery and can make the difference between life and death - so don't delay, call an ambulance

To prevent a heart attack -

• Control your homocysteine level
• Control your blood pressure
• Healthy Eating is important especially low fat, low salt and high fibre
• Dieting & losing weight are important if you are overweight to avoid metabolic syndrome and diabetes
• Give up smoking
• Exercise regularly
  Control your alcohol consumption
• Control your cholesterol level