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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Heart Attacks-Our #1 Killer

About 1.5 million Americans suffer a heart attack each year.That's about 1 every 20 seconds! This makes them our leading cause of death. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked. It is always a medical emergency and anyone that has the symptoms of a heart attack should get to a hospital emergency room as fast as possible.
Symptoms include: chest discomfort-chest pressure,heaviness,heartburn;discomfort can include pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach;shortnes of breath,lightheadedness,fainting,sweating,nausea or anxiety. It is important to note that some heart attacks have no obvious symptoms.
Women may actually have more of the other symptoms, ie shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting,back or jaw pain. Diabetics can have more of the "silent heart attacks" with no obvious symptoms.
Who are those at risk? Those with a family history of heart disease, men over age 50, menopausal women, those who smoke, untreated high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.
It is important to realize that heart attacks can occur at any age! If you or anyone you know have any of the above risk factors and have any of the mentioned symptoms, don't delay in seeking medical care.

Medical term(s) for heart attack: MI(myocardial infarction), ACS (acute coronary syndrome)
www.americanheart.org

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