Did you know someone is struck by a heart attack every 43 seconds and it is the biggest killer for Australian women?
Welcome to heart awareness week.
This devastating disease is caused by the loss of blood supply. Though if we were to get the warning signs early enough, heart attacks could be prevented almost 99% of the time.
You might be surprised if you think you are too young to have a heart attack. Sue Palmer at the age of 46 suffered a heart attack and had no idea it was happening. Sue didn’t experience the usual stabbing pains in her chest, she thought she had a bit of a bug, probably a 24-hour thing and just needed a little more of a rest, jumping back into her bed. Lucky for Sue her husband Jeff insisted on taking her to the doctors. Sue had a major heart attack, and was in the process of having it when she went to the hospital.
Sue is celebrating her one-year anniversary of her heart attack scare she is one of the lucky ones who lived to tell her horror story.
Unfortunately, heart disease is often a silent killer. In fact, about 25% of all heart attacks happen “silently” without clear or obvious symptoms. If we are more aware of the warning signs we may be able to prevent it from happening or at the very least enable you to get to the hospital or call an ambulance.
The most common signs in a heart attack for women are:
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the centre of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
Their are several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices that can put you at higher risk for heart disease these include:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol intake
Have you had your heart checked recently?
Wear red this week in support of the heart foundation and go and have your heart checked as part of your normal check up with your doctor or health practitioner.
Don’t forget to make a make a donation on the Heart Foundation website to help spread heart awareness.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com
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