Take Care of Your Heart

     Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. Knowing the symptoms is imperative. The life you save may be your own.

     A couple of years ago a good friend of ours, Jason Fronczak, then only thirty five years old, began having symptoms, but put off getting to the E.R. and barely survived. Just this last week another friend of mine and her husband were at Walmart when he began having chest and jaw pain. They went in right away and their fast action greatly reduced his heart damage, and their stress.

     Here’s something most of us don’t think about, but going through a heart attack is very, very stressful for the spouse. Jason’s wife Trish, shared with me that going through the heart attack with her husband was so stressful that even now, nearly two years later, she still mentally replays the incident with certain triggers and relives some of the stress of that day, almost as if it’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So realize this, fast action may not only save your loved one, it will save you from the tremendous stress of nearly losing someone you love.

     Here are five signs you need to be aware of. If you or a loved one have any combination of these, call 911 immediately:

• Tightness or pain in chest
• Jaw or arm pain
• Sweat accompanying the pain
• A feeling of impending doom
• Nausea with the pain

     A heart attack is challenging even for trained professionals. My husband used to have severe chest pain caused by a mitral valve prolapse. He warned me about it, and even though I’ve seen many heart attacks in my nursing days, the first time I went through it with him it was very scary. It’s going to be especially challenging for you, and remember, during a traumatic event such as this your loved one may not have clear comprehension, so early and immediate action will reduce the chance of mistakes and will reduce your stress.

    I know this, God cares for you and will bring calm in the chaos, however, early response will give you time to think and act clearly in a tense situation.

     The website rmheartattack.com is a great place to understand heart health. Back before stents there wasn’t much we could do besides oxygen and meds. Now there is so much more you can do. I am not a doctor, so if you have been experiencing any kind of chest discomfort or unusual symptoms, see your doctor immediately!

     Also, don’t think only men have heart attacks. Actually heart attacks can be more dangerous for women because they don’t expect it, and because symptoms may be less pronounced in women, they tend to dismiss the them.

     The very best thing you can do is know the conditions that may put you at greater risk for heart attack and have a check up now. Here are some risk increasing factors:

• If you are overweight
• If you smoke
• If you are under a lot of stress
• If you don’t get regular exercise
• If you have other medical conditions that may make you more susceptible
• If you have a major stress event in your life
• If you have a family history of heart disease

Your chances increase as you add factors together. A check up now is the best way to assure you have the very best chance of avoiding or surviving a major heart event. A ounce of prevention is worth a lifetime of cure!

     Healthy and happy trails to you!

Love, Debbie