As a Commercial Motor Vehicle driver, some of the symptoms of a stroke, covered in our previous articles, are similar to the risk factors for a heart attack, medically known as a Myocardial Infarction. What’s important to understand is men and women may experience entirely different symptoms, and four symptoms in particular are often dangerously dismissed. Heart attacks don’t always initially present as sudden chest pain.
Symptoms
Four symptoms often dismissed in men and women are:
- Sudden indigestion or heartburn
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Breaking out in a cold sweat
- A sudden feeling of overwhelming anxiety or doom
The more commonly known symptoms both men and women can experience include:
- Chest pain, heavy pressure, or crushing chest pain
- Pain felt in the back, left arm, or jaw
- Shortness of breath with or without discomfort
- Feeling dizzy
- Feeling an irregular or rapid heartbeat
Symptoms more common in men include:
- Pain in the left arm
- A feeling of indigestion
- Breaking out in a cold sweat
Symptoms more common in women include:
- Nausea
- Unusual fatigue
- Anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
What’s important to understand is men and women may experience entirely different symptoms, and four symptoms in particular are often dangerously dismissed. Heart attacks don’t always initially present as sudden chest pain.
Risk Factors
- High Blood Pressure, forces the heart to work harder
- High Cholesterol, contributes to build-up of plaque in the arteries
- Smoking, prematurely narrows the blood vessels and can reduce adequate oxygen flow
- Obesity, which can contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes
- Excessive Alcohol Consumption, increases blood pressure and cholesterol
- Poor Diet, high in saturated and trans fats, sodium, and sugar
- Inactive Lifestyle, weakens the heart muscle and increases cholesterol
- Stress, releases hormones that damage the blood vessels
- Age, after 55 for women and 45 for men
- Family History
- Genetics
- Sleep Apnea, increases blood pressure and potentially reduces adequate oxygen flow
- Diabetes or Chronic Kidney Disease, damages blood vessels and increases inflammation
Seeking Help
The first step in seeking help is to identify any risk factors you may have with your physician, who can provide a treatment plan to lower your risk.
A heart attack is a medical emergency, and can occur when a blood clot blocks oxygenated blood flow to the heart, or oxygen flow is blocked from a buildup of cholesterol deposits known as plaque. This lack of blood flow can cause the tissue of the heart muscle to die.
If you or anyone else is experiencing any symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately! Do not drive to an emergency room, as the EMS can provide potentially life-saving treatment quickly.
These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any illness. Always consult with your physician if you have any concerns or questions.
