MATTERS OF THE HEART
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO KNOW
Learning the Differences of a Heart Event in Men & Women Can Save a Life
Know What Symptoms to Look for in Your Loved One, While Being Aware of Your Own Body’s Warning Signs
ONE IN FIVE.
How does that number come to life for you? Could it be one of your five kids or siblings? How about your friend circle or even coworkers? When you look around and think of the people in your life, a statistic such as one in five starts to become an exceedingly small number. Especially when it could be you.
Sadly, this statistic hits close to home for far too many. One in five women die from heart disease each year, making it the top killer of women in the United States, and most have no idea if they’re affected.
Understanding warning signs is not important, it is lifesaving. As a family caregiver, it’s even more crucial that we pay attention to our health. All too often, we worry about our loved ones and abandon our own needs, which could be deadly.
Some women – and even doctors – miss key warning signs because the symptoms are often subtle, mistaken for less serious issues like the results of stress, a flu bug, acid reflux, or just the aches and pains associated with getting older.
SILENT & SUBTLE SYMPTOMS
Did you know that not all women feel severe chest pain when suffering a heart attack?
A common belief is that symptoms are the same for everyone – chest & arm pain so great that we fall to the ground. But that is not the case – even though that’s the image portrayed most frequently in movies and television. Instead, women often experience mild or infrequent symptoms associated with everyday life usually ignored until it’s too late.
BE AWARE
Listening to your body and its cues will help greatly in the case of an emergency. But first, you need to know exactly what to look for in the case of a heart attack:
1. Uncomfortable pressure or feeling squeezed, like an elephant sitting on your chest
2. Pain in the center of your chest
3. Light headedness or dizziness
4. Shortness of breath
5. Upper body pain in your jaw, neck, shoulders and/or back
6. Feeling numbness or discomfort in your arms
7. Upset stomach or nausea
8. Acid Reflux or Gurd
9. Breaking out in a cold sweat
10. Unusual fatigue
WHEN TO CALL 911
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, stop whatever you’re doing and dial 911 immediately
- Be Direct & Specific: tell the operator exactly what you’re feeling and that you think it may be a heart attack
- Do Not Drive Yourself to the Hospital: wait for an ambulance to arrive and transport you instead
- If the Operator Allows you to Get Off the Phone: only then call a neighbor or friend to come help with your loved one while you’re away
WHAT’S NEXT?
Now you know the symptoms of a heart attack, pay attention to your body and watch for any signs of a heart event. It’s not only important to take care of yourself, but the other women in your life as well. Thanks to the American Heart Association, an easy way to do this is by communicating with family & friends, and even forwarding the video below starring Elizabeth Banks, educating women on what a heart attack actually looks and feels like.
JUST A LITTLE HEART ATTACK
