If you're a woman, it's vital to know the signs of a heart attack in women. Heart disease is a serious issue in North America, and it’s the number one killer of women. Warning signs of an impending heart attack can occur months before the actual attack. In women, these early warning signs include shortness of breath from casual exercise, a heavy feeling in the left arm, jaw ache, and pain in the shoulder blades. A woman can have no signs or symptoms the day of the heart attack other than just generally not feeling well.
If you are feeling any of these symptoms, call 911, unlock the front door so people can get through. Next, you need to come to terms with the fact things could get really bad really quickly. That's why it's so important to know the signs of a heart attack in women.
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1. Symptoms
A heart attack happens when blood can’t get to the heart. Call for emergency help right away. People with angina are at an increased risk of a heart attack. Signs of a heart attack in women include:
- Pain in the chest which can spread to the jaw, neck, or arms. - Breathlessness. - Stomach discomfort. - Collapsing on the floor. - Pale skin. - Blue lips. - Difficulty breathing. - Irregular pulse.
2. What You Can do
The victim may have all of these signs, some of these signs, or for some women, none of these signs. Have the person sit on the floor with her head and shoulders supported and knees bent. Now, put cushions under her knees. If she is not allergic to aspirin, give her a 300 mg aspirin tablet and tell her to chew it slowly. Do not give anyone aspirin under the age of sixteen. If she has angina medication, help her take it. Monitor her levels which include her breathing, pulse rate, and coherence rate - ask her questions like what was the weather like this morning, where do you work, what is today’s date, to name a few. You need to remain calm until help arrives. You may need to do CPR before the paramedics arrive so please take a CPR training course with your local fire department.
3. Calling for Help
When placing the emergency call be sure to name the county where the street is located because not all cell phone towers are in the same county as where you’re calling from. For example, “A forty-eight-year-old woman is having a heart attack. We are on X street in Maricopa County.”
4. What if You're Having a Heart Attack?
To help prevent a heart attack in yourself, abide by the following rules. While these are not a cure they can greatly reduce your risk: - Do not smoke. - Do not drink heavily. -Do not use non prescribed drugs. Here's what you should do: - Exercise, but never push yourself to the point it’s well past your comfort zone. - Eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. - If you choose not to be vegetarian or vegan, be sure that the majority of your plate is fruits and vegetables and eat red meat and cheese sparingly. - Monitor your cholesterol.
5. Family History
Know your family medical history. This is why adopted people deserve to know their biological family medical history for their own safety and that of their children. If you are adopted, see if you can obtain any family medical history, especially updated medical history. This includes asking your adoptive parents what they know, contacting the private adoption attorney, contacting the adoption agency, seeing if your state or province has a reunion registry, signing up with ISRR, an international database to reconnect families, and finally testing with sites such as Family Tree DNA and ancestry.com to match up with relatives who could inform you of health problems in the family.
6. See the Dentist
Do not skip your dental appointments. Many people have a dental phobia, but today you can be put under during a routine cleaning. Skipping dental appointments can eventually lead to severe medical problems including a heart attack.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact your primary care physician.
