What you need to know about heart attacks
HEART attack is one of the main causes of death every year. It happens when there’s a lack of oxygenated blood flow to the coronary arteries because of plaque buildup, causing permanent damage to the heart.
“Heart attacks can happen anytime, sometimes without any warning. It’s important for people to be fully informed on how to prevent heart attacks, how to accurately identify a heart attack and the steps to take when it happens. Some of the essential things you should know are the symptoms and how to perform first aid when you or a loved one suffers a heart attack. Heart attacks, whether silent or recognized, should not be taken lightly because it can cause sudden death if not treated or acted upon immediately,” said Dr. Nicky Montoya, Medicard president.
The warning signs. Paying attention to warning signs can save you or your loved one like chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or lightheadedness, cold sweat, and pain in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Silent heart attacks. A silent heart attack has more subtle signs wherein a person experiences minimal or unrecognized symptoms or no symptoms at all like experiencing extreme fatigue, indigestion, flu- like symptoms and jaw, shoulder or neck pain. People who experienced silent heart attacks realize it only after going through tests like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or electrocardiogram (EKG).
First aid. First, call 911, the emergency hotline, immediately. If you are the one suffering a heart attack, do not attempt to drive on your own as this will only endanger you and others on the road. Keep calm and chew an aspirin—which can prevent blood clotting—if they are not allergic to it. If the person is unconscious, administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Montoya advises several ways to prevent heart: maintaining a healthy blood pressure, monitoring your cholesterol, quitting smoking, exercising, eating a balanced diet which contains fruits, fatty acids, and most importantly, having regular check-ups.
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