Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Midland, MI
Permit No. 8
210 Marie Langdon Drive
Manchester, KY 40962
This February 6, we encourage
you to wear red as a symbol
of support for women’s heart
health!
WOMEN AND HEART ATTACKS
Be aware
of subtler
symptoms
I
F YOUR DAD said, “It feels like there’s an elephant
sitting on my chest,” chances are you’d dial 911 and
tell the operator, “We think it’s a heart attack.”
But what if your mom said, “I’m totally exhausted,
and I feel sick to my stomach”—would you consider her
wise to take some stomach-settling medicine and a nap?
Or would you know that her nausea and extreme
fatigue could be signs she’s having a heart attack?
Even though every 90 seconds a woman in the U.S.
has a heart attack, many people don’t know a woman’s
symptoms can sometimes be different and more subtle
than a man’s. And when a woman doesn’t realize she’s
having a heart attack, she may not get the emergency
care she needs to prevent possibly fatal damage to her
heart.
Know the symptoms
For both men and women, the most common signs of a
heart attack are:
●
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Pain, pressure, squeezing or discomfort in the chest
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Sudden cold sweats
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Fatigue for no reason
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Sudden dizziness or light-headedness
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Sharp pain in one or both arms, the upper back, the
neck, or the jaw
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Shortness of breath for no apparent reason
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Nausea or vomiting
Of these, the last three tend to be more common for
women than for men. Women are actually twice as likely
as men to vomit or be nauseated during a heart attack.
They might also:
●
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Have pain or pressure in the lower chest, stomach
and upper abdomen
●
●
Feel really tired
●
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Experience sudden dizziness, with or without fainting
More than half of women having a heart attack report
muscle weakness that’s not related to exercising. For
some, extreme breathlessness—also without exertion—is
the only sign they’re having a heart attack.
According to a survey by the American Heart As-
sociation, many women would be reluctant to call for
emergency medical help if they thought they were hav-
ing a heart attack. Yet it’s vital to get immediate help.
Treatment is most effective if given within one hour after
symptoms start.
So if you or anyone you know has one or more symp-
toms of a heart attack, call 911 right away. Don’t wait
more than five minutes to get help.
Additional source: Office on Women’s Health
Help is just a heartbeat
away at our new cardiology
clinic. For an appointment,
please call
(606) 598-4500
.
NATIONAL
WEAR RED DAY
MEMORIAL’S GUIDE TO HEALING AND WELLNESS •
WINTER 2015