Heart disease is the leading cause of death across the world, causing a quarter of all deaths each year.
Contrary to what you might think, you aren’t pre-determined to develop heart disease, even if there’s a family history. There are certain factors such as family history that may increase your risk, but heart disease is preventable. In case you suffer any signs of heart attack at any time of the day or at any point in your life, immediately rush for medical care services.
Hope ER – a medical emergency room in Lufkin – excels in providing immediate treatment to patients without prior appointment. We never make an emergency wait! Our experienced and friendly physicians and nurses, who operate under a patient-focused model, make your ER visit as stress-free and congenial as possible.
Below are the signs of heart attack that one must be aware of:
How to Know If Someone is Having a Heart Attack?
The heart attack is a pressure like pain in the center of the chest that may radiate to the left. The person sometimes experiences shortness of breath and sweating. Many times, a heart attack might be happening, and the patient does not suffer any of the above symptoms especially in diabetics and older age can also be the leading cause.
Often some patients experience vague symptoms such as weakness, dizziness or extreme fatigue. Other associated symptoms include nausea, vomiting, jaw pain or back pain as well. The key factor to determine whether someone is having a heart attack or not is to look at the risk factor of the disease.
What are the most common risk factors? They are diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, family history, and high blood pressure.
Earlier Signs of the Heart Attack
Any sort of chest discomfort associated with exertion, shortness of breath, or decrease in exercise tolerance – all are alarms that need immediate attention. You should seek medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms and at least get a stress test performed.
Preventive Measures to Take Against Heart Attack
The best way to prevent heart attack is to address the risk factors associated with this life-threatening disease. The major risk factors are diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, family history and high blood pressure. While you cannot change your family history, you can keep a check on your diet or start consuming less processed foods and sugar. Workout on a regular basis and avoid smoking tobacco.
What to Do If You See Someone Having Heart Attack
- If someone is having symptoms related to heart attack, Call 911 or our local HOPE ER emergency number 936-899-7243 or have a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Driving by yourself with these symptoms could put you and others at risk
- Chew and swallow an aspirin,unless you are allergic to aspirin
- Take nitroglycerin as directed,if you think you’re having a heart attack and nitro has been prescribed earlier by your doctor, then take it as directed but do not take somebody else’s nitroglycerin.
- Begin CPR if the person is unconscious.If you’re with an unconscious, let the 911 dispatcher know that you have started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Even if you are not trained yet in how to perform CPR, the recommendation is to perform only chest compressions (about 100 to 120 compressions a minute). By staying on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, further instructions and proper procedures to do for the patient will be given until help arrives.
- If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is immediately available and the person is unconscious, follow the device instructions for using it.
To receive emergency treatment at Hope ER our Lufkin medical care service center, no need to book an appointment. Just show up at the doorstep and leave everything in the hands of our doctors. They will take care of everything!