Do you know the signs of a heart attack?

Yesterday, Ricky and I visited a friend's mother who was hospitalized  as a result of a massive heart attack. In speaking to her husband, I found out she had unfortunately been exhibiting signs of a heart attack for days but was misinterpreting them. If you have never reviewed the key warning signs of a heart attack, I have posted them below. It's always good to be informed as good health is promised to no one. Also, I keep 325mg aspirin in our home in the event Ricky, myself, or a guest have a cardiac episode. Administering aspirin at the first signs of a heart attack has been shown to limit the damaged caused by the myocardial infarction. (Make sure you get the non-enteric coated Aspirin and have the patient chew it for the fastest result.)

General Warning Signs for a Heart Attack
(The following information is taken from:  http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Warning-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_002039_Article.jsp)

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

Heart Attack Signs in Women

1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
5. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.

(The above information is taken from http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0505a.shtml)
Image taken from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/images/heart.jpg