What To Do If You Suspect A Heart Attack
Always call 999 if youre worried the main reason people die from a heart attack is not seeking help soon enough. If you suspect youre having a heart attack, and can safely take aspirin, chew and swallow one tablet as that can start to thin the blood. Then lie down with your head propped up and wait for help to arrive, says Dr Chitkara.
Dont go hunting for any aspirin if you dont have some nearby the exertion of climbing stairs to the bathroom cabinet could put extra strain on your heart. Stay calm and remember that help is on its way.
Once they receive professional medical care, most people who have a heart attack make a full recovery. Within a few months you should be back on your feet and back to normal life.
South Denver Cardiology Associates Can Help
South Denver Cardiology Associates provides award-winning cardiac care focused on helping you achieve a healthier life. We offer comprehensive diagnostic testing to determine whether your symptoms are heart-related or not. Once weve accurately diagnosed the cause of your symptoms, well work with you to develop the right treatment plan to manage your condition.
Please contact us today to schedule a consultation. South Denver Cardiology Associates serves patients in Denver, Littleton, and the surrounding areas of Colorado.
Worried About Your Heartburn
Find a primary care provider to answer your questions.
If youre concerned that the burning in your chest is more than an antacid can handle, dont hesitate to see your doctor. If youve never had heartburn and youre older, seeing your primary care doctor is the right thing to do, says Sauer.
If you have taken antacids for what you believe is reflux and the reflux is not going away, Its really a no-brainer to make sure its not the heart first, advises Patterson.
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Heartburn Or Heart Attack: Knowing The Signs
Differentiating simple heartburn from heart disease symptoms can be challenging. Sometimes, people may have a meal and then go out for a walk. In that situation, it can be difficult to tell the difference between reflux or heart disease, says Patterson.
Its hard because the symptoms might be similar, agrees Sauer. You may not be able to decipher them. It may even require an ECG or stress test to check if its your heart.
With reflux, patients may have a bitter taste in the mouth. With heart problems, there is no bitter taste in the mouth and no association with food, says Patterson. I would differentiate the symptoms in regard to meal vs. exercise, and acidic, funny taste in the mouth vs. none.
In addition to the time of occurrence and related activity, understanding your own potential risk factors for heart disease is also helpful. Age is an important risk factor for both men and women. A mans chance of a heart attack increases at around age 40. However, the increased risk occurs around menopause for women.
Other factors include gender and family history of premature coronary artery disease. These factors are not in our control, but there are many more controllable risk factors, reminds Patterson.
Major risk factors for heart disease that we can control include:
- Weight
- Hypertension
- Illegal drug use
But what about the pounding chest pain and collapse weve all seen in countless movies and TV shows? Isnt that how heart attacks are supposed to happen?
Heart Attack Symptoms In Women
If you have any of these signs, call 911 and get to a hospital right away.
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Solving The Mystery In Record Time
Even if you know the signs of a heart attack and are informed and engaged in your own or a loved ones healthcare, if there is a reason for concern, it is always better to be safe and quickly seek a professional medical evaluation. Even medical professionals can mistake one condition for another without the proper tools needed to make a diagnosis. Our hospitals, emergency rooms, cardiologists and other medical professionals are experts at investigating and uncovering the true cause of your heart attack symptoms. HCA Midwest Health has 11 emergency rooms conveniently located throughout Kansas City with heart care experts ready to solve the mystery quickly.
With the areas largest network of award-winning, accredited chest pain centers, your chance of surviving a heart attack improves by more than 35 percent. No other Kansas City area hospitals open up clogged arteries for heart attack patients faster than we do.
Every second counts when solving a mystery. Dont drive. Call 911.
Causes Of Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is not identified at all with the heart. The perplexity originates from the area of the pain, in the chest. The stomach produces body fluid to shield its coating from the corrosive that it uses to help you in digestion. The sustenance pipe does not have this security. So, acid reflux harms its coating. For some individuals, however, heartburn does not cause such harm. Acid delicate nerves might be associated with the reason for pain.
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Is Your Pain Accompanied By A Runny Nose Coughing Sore Throat And Fever
Acute bronchitis can make your chest ache, a pain that worsens if you have a hacking cough. The condition occurs when your bronchial tubes become inflamed. Mucus builds up, leading to shortness of breath and feeling like you have a cold.
Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and ask you to rest and drink plenty of liquids to thin the mucus and keep your bronchial tubes lubricated. If symptoms continue longer than 10 days, consider getting a chest X-ray to determine whether your condition has turned into pneumonia or if there is another culprit causing your pain.
Do You Feel Pressure In Your Chest And Discomfort In Your Shoulders Arms Neck Jaw Or Back Do You Feel Like You Have Indigestion
Angina signals an underlying heart condition that can lead to a heart attack. Stable angina is triggered by emotional stress, smoking, heavy meals and extreme variances in temperature, all of which cause your heart to work harder.
This type of angina is episodic but controllable. Your doctor can help you understand and manage the condition.
Unstable angina is characterized by sudden chest pain or worsening or persistent chest discomfort that occurs during sleep or reduced physical activity. It is caused by a reduction in blood flow to the heart. This is a serious health issue that requires immediate medical attention.
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Common Symptoms Of Heartburn
If you’ve got a burning feeling in your chest just behind your breastbone that starts after you eat, it might be heartburn. The symptoms could last from a few minutes to several hours.
Heartburn begins when stomach acid splashes up into your esophagus, a tube that connects the back of your throat and stomach. Besides the burning feeling in your chest, you may also get:
- Chest pain, especially after you bend over, lie down, or eat
- Burning at the back of your throat
- Fluid at the back of your throat that tastes hot, sour, acidic, or salty
- Long-term cough, sore throat, or hoarseness
Telling your doctor about these symptoms is usually all they need to make a diagnosis of heartburn. But they may ask you to take special tests to find out how severe the problem is or to keep an eye on your treatment.
Other Causes Of Chest Pain
Heart attack and heartburn arent the only causes of chest pain, but theyre two of the most likely ones. Other potential symptoms include:
- Anxiety attack. Severe bouts of anxiety can cause panicked feelings that may make you feel as if your heart is racing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath and intense fear.
- Esophageal muscle spasm. Some people have an esophagus that tightens or spasms. If this occurs, a person can have pain and discomfort,
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When Is Chest Pain A Heart Attack
Many people delay calling 999 when having chest pain as they often think it isnt serious. You should dial 999 immediately if your chest pain:
- is sudden
- spreads to you arms, back, neck or jaw
- feels heavy or tight.
Or if:
- you become short of breath or start to feel sick.
If your chest pain doesnt match these characteristics and you arent experiencing any other heart attack symptoms, there may be other explanations for your chest pain. These include angina, indigestion or a strained muscle.If you frequently experience unexplained chest pain, book an appointment with your GP as its possible you may have an undiagnosed heart condition.
How Can I Tell The Difference Between Heartburn And A Heart Attack
It can often be difficult to tell the difference between these two issues based on symptoms alone. However, there are some indicators that may help you determine whether youre experiencing a heart attack or heartburn:
- Heartburn tends to occur after a meal and be more painful when lying down
- Antacid drugs can relieve heartburn symptoms, but wont alleviate chest pain associated with a heart attack
- More generalized symptoms such as breathlessness or pain extending into the neck, shoulder, and jaw typically dont occur with heartburn
- Pain extending into your throat is typically associated with heartburn
- Belching and bloating often occur from heartburn but are not associated with a heart attack
- Strenuous activity will often make heart attack symptoms worse
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Causes Of Heart Attack
A heart attack is an ailment caused by defect if the coronary arteries. These veins supply blood to the heart, keeping it to function with oxygen and vitality. At the point when coronary vein ailment fails to supply blood to some portion of the heart muscle, this becomes the heart attack. A heart attack can prompt a cardiac arrest.
When Heartburn Might Be Serious
If the symptoms of indigestion last more than five minutes or are intermittent and especially if the indigestion is associated with nausea or vomiting or heavy sweating Dr. Williams advises to go straight to the ER.
Unfortunately for women, many never experience warning symptoms before their first heart attack, she says. Their first symptom indigestion is their heart attack. On average women wait 2½ hours before seeking medical help. A lot of muscle can die in that time.
Women and men also should understand their risks for developing coronary artery disease: age, high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Although smoking increases the risk of heart disease for both genders, women who light up are more likely to suffer a heart attack than men who smoke, Dr. Williams says.
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Is Indigestion A Sign Of A Heart Attack
Angina is an early warning sign that your arteries are narrowing. Its primary symptom is chest pain so the first time you experience it, you may think youre having a heart attack.
Angina starts on exertion, but fades quickly with rest, says Dr Archbold. If your symptoms started when you were sitting still, dont reduce when you rest or dont stop after youve used your normal angina treatment, call an ambulance.
Indigestion also has very similar symptoms to a heart attack and may be the cause of your chest pain, particularly if youve had a very large or spicy meal in the hour before symptoms start. Even doctors cant always tell the difference without doing an EEG or a blood test, but its better to be safe than sorry, says Dr Archbold.
What Is The Prognosis For A Heart Attack And Heartburn
The prognosis for the majority of people with heartburn is good to excellent if they try to prevent any future problems. Severe heartburn has a reduced prognosis as it can lead to esophageal damage, Barretts esophagus, and/or inability to swallow due to stricture formation.
The prognosis of a heart attack may be good to fair if treated immediately however, the prognosis decreases if a large amount of heart muscle is damaged or destroyed during a heart attack. Complications of heart attacks include irregular heartbeat , heart valve damage, heart failure, additional heart attacks, and/or sudden death.
Complications occur more frequently after a person survives a heart attack. Complications occur less frequently after heartburn.
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What Should I Do If I Think Im Having A Heart Attack
The first thing you must do is dial 999 immediately for an ambulance. Dont worry if youre not completely sure whether your symptoms are a heart attack, its really important that you seek medical attention regardless as quickly as possible.
Next, you should:
- take a 300mg aspirin if you have one within arms reach
- stay calm and wait for the paramedics.
People often dismiss that theyre having a heart attack and will delay seeking medical attention. If youre with someone whos experiencing heart attack symptoms but theyre putting off or refusing to call an ambulance, its really important that you call one for them.
Symptoms Of Heart Attack
The pain related to heart attacks mostly goes on for a couple of minutes before gradually blurring and can at times sitting or stopping any strenuous activity can reduce it. Heart attacks are regularly joined by:
- A dull, tight, or full feeling in the chest
- Pain the neck, arms, and shoulders
- Unsteadiness, shortness of breath, dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
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What Can Trigger Heartburn
Heartburn can be triggered by many different things that are a part of your daily life. For many people, heartburn can be caused by certain eating and lifestyle habits. These habits can involve things like eating large portions of food, eating too close to bedtime or even having high stress levels.
Certain foods and drinks can also trigger heartburn for some people. Some foods and drinks that could trigger your heartburn can include:
- Onions.
- Caffeinated beverages.
- Carbonated beverages.
Your lifestyle habits can also play a part in why you might experience heartburn. These everyday factors often contribute to medical conditions that cause heartburn, like GERD or hiatal hernia. Some lifestyle habits that can trigger your heartburn include:
- Being overweight.
- Having a high stress level.
- Wearing tight clothes and belts.
When To Call The Doctor
If you have any signs of heart disease, call your health care provider right away. Dont wait to see if the symptoms go away or dismiss them as nothing.
- You have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack
- You know you have angina and have chest pain that doesnt go away after 5 minutes of rest or after taking nitroglycerine
- You think you may be having a heart attack
- You become extremely short of breath
- You think you may have lost consciousness
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What To Do If You Have Chest Pain
If youre having chest pain that you think could be a heart attack, dont drive yourself to the emergency room. Always call 911 or local emergency services so you can get medical attention as quickly as possible.
The more time the heart goes without proper blood flow, the more damage the heart muscle may undergo. This is why its not a good idea to wait or hesitate if you think you may be experiencing a heart attack.
Do You Have Chest Pain And Discomfort
These are the most common symptoms of a heart attack, for both men and women, young and old. But there are other symptoms to look out for, as well. Women are more likely to experience shortness of breath a squeezing, aching or sharp pain in the chest or arms that may spread to the neck, back or jaw unexplained nausea, heartburn vomiting sweating fatigue irregular pulse
lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.
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Nutritions Role In Angina Prevention
The most common cause of angina is coronary artery disease. As plaque in the blood vessels builds up, blood flow is restricted and deprives the heart muscle of oxygen.
Atherosclerosis, on the other hand, means that the walls of the arteries become damaged in some way, shape, or form. Some people believe it could be cigarette smoking or a chronically poor diet, but specifically the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, colloquially known as bad cholesterol because it can build up in the arteries, may indeed be one of the damaging factors in terms of damage to arterial walls.
After this arterial wall is damaged, our immune system comes to the rescue. It sends white blood cells, sometimes known as leukocytes, to correct the problem and help absorb the oxidized LDL.
Specifically, this is under the direction of monocytes and macrophages, two types of white blood cells which actually trigger a cycle of events that involve inflammation and, ultimately, the development of plaque. This level of inflammation is a major disease risk for the development of heart disease.
When it comes to treatment, its important to include food with anti-inflammatory compounds such as nuts and dark berries in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed also help reduce inflammation.