Can a heart attack or stroke be recognized?

What to do when every moment counts

How would you react in a medical emergency? When it comes to life-threatening conditions like a heart attack or stroke, every minute counts. Learn the signs and symptoms of these health threats. If you think you or someone else might be having a heart attack or stroke, seek medical attention immediately. Acting quickly could save your life or someone else's life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prompt medical help could prevent many of these deaths. Prompt action can also limit permanent damage to the body.

Heart attacks and strokes are caused by interruptions in normal blood flow to the heart or brain, two organs essential for life. Without access to oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood, cells in the heart or brain begin to malfunction and die. This cell death can trigger a series of harmful effects throughout the body. The changes eventually lead to the familiar symptoms of a heart or brain emergency.

You may be familiar with the most common symptoms of a heart attack: sustained, squeezing chest pain, and shortness of breath. A heart attack can also cause cold sweats, rapid heartbeat, left arm pain, stiff jaw, or shoulder pain.

Many don't know that females often have different heart attack signs than men. For example, instead of having chest pain during a heart attack, women may feel extremely tired and fatigued or have indigestion and nausea.

"A lot of females have a vague sense of unhappiness and sadness, a sense of, 'I don't feel quite right and I don't know why.'

Symptoms of a stroke include sudden difficulty seeing, speaking, or walking, as well as feelings of weakness, numbness, lightheadedness, and confusion. "Some people have a severe, immediate, strong headache, unlike any other type they've ever had."

At the first sign of any of these symptoms, quick action from you, someone you know, or a bystander can make all the difference. We now have drugs, procedures, and devices that can help limit heart and brain damage after a stroke, provided medical help arrives quickly.

If the heart is deprived of blood for too long, usually more than 20 minutes, the heart muscle can be damaged beyond repair. "You need to be in the hospital because there is a chance of cardiac arrest", which could be fatal. In the hospital, doctors can administer blood thinners and other emergency procedures.

"The longer you wait, the more brain cells will die" and the greater the risk of permanent damage or disability.

Emergency treatment for a stroke depends on the kind of stroke. The most common type, ischemic stroke, is caused by a clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain. The anti-clot drug tPA works best when given soon after symptoms start.

Other strokes are caused by hemorrhage when a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain. "The patient may have more bleeding in the first 3 hours." A medical team at the hospital can help control the bleeding, so every moment counts.

Even if you're not sure, don't be embarrassed or hesitate to call 9-1-1 if you suspect a heart attack or stroke. “You shouldn't be looking for your car keys. Your partner shouldn't take you to the hospital,” advises Desvigne-Nickens. "The emergency team is qualified to treat these symptoms and it could be the difference between life and death."

Anyone can have a heart attack or stroke, but the risk increases with age. A family or personal background of heart attack or stroke also increases your risk. But some risk factors for heart attack and stroke are within your control. Treating them can significantly reduce your risk.

If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, see your doctor manage these conditions. Know your numbers [blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol] and what they mean.

You can also prepare for a medical emergency to some degree. A hospital may not have access to your medical records when you arrive. Keep important health information close at hands, such as medications you're taking, allergies, and emergency contacts. It would be important for the medical team to know, for example, if you have taken blood thinners to help prevent blood clots; these blood thinners increase the risk of bleeding.

Eat a healthy diet high in protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and low in saturated fat. Practice regular physical activity and do not smoke.

“I think one of the most important things we can do is take a basic CPR and first aid course,” Brown recommends. “We know that most cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals and many, many can be saved if we get someone with basic training on the scene quickly. An ambulance can never arrive as quickly as a passing citizen.

Want to know more about your risk of heart attack and stroke? Have you ever had a heart attack or stroke and want to reduce your risk of having a second one? Contact our team of healthcare professionals at TIB Pharmacy. We are here to help.