More than 61 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disesase (CVD) and more than 2,600 Americans die each day of CVD. That’s an average of one death every 33 seconds.
A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery, one of the blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, becomes blocked. The area of heart muscle that does not receive blood begins to die. The seriousness of a heart attack depends on how much of the heart is affected.
Signs of a heart attack can be subtle and difficult to identify. Typical symptoms include:
- heavy chest pain or tightness
- shortness of breath
- sweating
- nausea
Individuals may experience varying symptoms, so you may also feel pain in your chest that spreads to your back, neck, jaw or shoulder. It’s important to know that a heart attack does not always cause severe chest pain.
Some people may attribute the warning signs indicated above to fatigue or heartburn. Often, victims do not even know they’re having an attack. If you have any of the warning signs above, be sure to sit or lie down. If the symptoms persist, call 911 immediately. Getting prompt treatment can be life saving.
Sometimes don’t want to believe they’re having an attack and don’t call for help. Regardless of what you wish, your symptoms may be life-threatening. Get medical help right away. You may feel embarrassed if medical help comes, or you go to an emergency room, and it turns out it’s not a heart attack. But keep in mind that a little embarrassment might save your life.
Symptoms of Heart Disease – Angina
Angina is used to describe the feeling of pain, heaviness, tightness, burning or squeezing in your chest. It’s often an indication that you have heart disease and are at risk of having a heart attack. Angina usually occurs when there’s a temporary narrowing of one of the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. As a result, the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood to continue working properly. Angina tends to occur during physical exertion or stress, when the heart’s demand for blood is greater than the blood supply.
If you have any of the angina symptoms described above, talk with your doctor immediately. Treatment may prevent you from having a heart attack.