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both arms, the back, the neck, the
jaw, or the stomach.
■■
Shortness of breath (with or
without chest pain).
■■
Breaking out in a cold sweat.
■■
Nausea or vomiting.
■■
Light-headedness.
■■
Fainting.
Sometimes, the signs and symp-
toms of a heart attack can develop
slowly—over hours, days or even
weeks before a heart attack occurs.
As with men, women’s most
common symptom is chest pain or
discomfort. But women are more
likely than men to experience some
of the other common symptoms,
such as shortness of breath, nausea
or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you aren’t sure whether you
are having a heart attack, don’t
hesitate to get help. If it ends up
being a heart attack, the quicker
you get treatment, the better.
I
facts
health
TESTS HELP SPOT HEART ATTACK
To find out if you’re having a heart
attack, a health care provider will per-
form certain tests, which may include:
n
An electrocardiogram to check
the heart’s electrical activity. It can
show a heart that’s beating too fast,
too slow or irregularly. It can also
show poor blood flow to the heart.
n
Blood tests to check for certain
enzymes and other substances that
indicate heart damage.
n
A nuclear scan to show whether
any part of the heart isn’t getting
enough blood or whether the heart
has been damaged.
n
Coronary angiography to find
blocked or narrowed arteries.
—Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
CALL 911—DON’T DRIVE
If anyone in your family has heart
attack symptoms, your first instinct
might be to get in the car and rush
to the hospital.
But it’s best to call 911 for emer-
gency help, according to the American
Heart Association. Don’t wait more
than five minutes to call. Emergency
medical personnel carry lifesaving
equipment with them and can start
treatment as soon as they arrive.
IT ISN’T ALWAYS EASY TO SPOT A
heart attack. Not everyone has dra-
matic and unmistakable chest pain.
Symptoms can also vary greatly
between people, or even between
different heart attacks for the same
person. That’s why you need to
know both the obvious and not-so-
obvious signs of a heart attack.
According to the American Heart
Association and other experts,
symptoms may include:
■■
Chest discomfort that lasts more
than a few minutes or comes and
goes. It may feel like pressure,
squeezing, fullness or pain.
■■
Discomfort or pain in one or
signs:
Even if you’re not sure
whether it’s a heart
attack, get help.
HEART
ATTACK
WHAT TO KNOW
healthy
heart
HEALTHY HEART is published as a community service
for the friends and patrons of KADLEC REGIONAL
MEDICAL CENTER, 888 Swift Blvd., Richland, WA 99352,
509-946-4611, website
www.kadlecmed.org
.
Information in HEALTHY HEART comes from a wide
range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or
questions about specific content that may affect your
health, please contact your health care provider.
Models may be used in photos and illustrations.
Copyright © 2011 Coffey Communications, Inc.
HTN26249h
Rand Wortman
President and CEO,
Kadlec Health System
Nikki Ostergaard
Marketing Specialist,
Kadlec Health System
Lane Savitch
President,
Kadlec Regional
Medical Center
Jim Hall
Community Relations
Director,
Kadlec Health System
2 • www.kadlecmed.org