Services - Cardiac Care

A heart attack may cause various types of discomfort not generally perceived as "pain" and not necessarily in the chest. The discomfort may...

Feel like indigestion.
Be felt in the chest, the inner arm (especially the left arm), the jaw or teeth, or other parts of the body.
Get worse with activity and subside with rest.
May not be in a specific spot.
Come and go, and increase over time - each new pain recurs sooner, lasts longer and feels worse.
Be accompanied by sweating, shortness of breath or flu-like symptoms.

If you, or someone you know, is having some of these symptoms, call 9-1-1, or go straight to your nearest Emergency Room. Doctors and nurses can give you life-saving medicines called "thrombolytic drugs" that can break up blood clots and stabilize arteries. This restores the flow of oxygen and nutrients needed to return the heart to good working order. These drugs are effective only if you receive them within the first hours of a heart attack - or better still, before the arteries have become totally clogged.

Who is at risk for heart attack?

There is no "typical" heart attack victim. Women experience nearly the same number of heart attacks as men. People as young as 20 years old have heart attacks - even highly conditioned athletes in their prime. Sadly, some people have no idea that they are at risk for a heart attack until it strikes. Some people have "risk factors" that make them more likely candidates for heart attack. These include high-fat diets, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and a family history of heart disease. But remember, the most important risk factor is the presence of any early heart attack symptoms. In fact, it is the only risk factor that you can do something about right away and have a direct impact on whether you will have a serious heart attack.

Many people experiencing early heart attack symptoms do not want to go to the doctor. Be persistent. You may save their life.