Healthy You Article – January 30, 2009

February is National Heart Month

February is National Heart Month, so it seems like a good time to ask, “What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "heart attack?"
People of a certain age may think of Redd Foxx's portrayal of Fred Sanford on "Sanford and Son." In the 1970s, Foxx could be seen regularly on TV clutching his chest as he faked a heart attack and shouted to his deceased wife, "This is the big one! Hang on, Elizabeth. I'm coming to join you!"
This may have made for funny television, but that type of scene plays right into society's misperception that only elderly men suffer from heart disease or stroke, and when a heart attack happens, it’s obvious.
Here's a statistic for you: While heart disease and stroke kill one in every 3.7 men, one in 2.4 women lose their lives to heart disease and stroke; that’s a staggering 42%! They are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women. By way of comparison, breast cancer kills one in 29 women.
Perhaps ever more staggering is the fact that a majority of women don't know how deadly heart disease and stroke are.
Symptoms

Chest pain behind the sternum (breastbone) is a major symptom of heart attack, but in many cases the pain may be subtle or even completely absent (called a "silent heart attack"), especially in the elderly and those with diabetes. Often, the pain radiates from your chest to your arms or shoulder; neck, teeth, or jaw; abdomen, or back. Sometimes, the pain is only felt in one of these other locations.

The pain typically lasts longer than 20 minutes and is not fully relieved by rest or nitroglycerine, both of which can relieve pain from angina.

The pain can be intense and severe or quite subtle and confusing. It can feel like:

* Squeezing or heavy pressure
* A tight band on the chest
* "An elephant sitting on [your] chest"
* Bad indigestion

Other symptoms you may have either alone or along with chest pain include:

* Shortness of breath
* Cough
* Lightheadedness - dizziness
* Fainting
* Nausea or vomiting
* Sweating, which may be profuse
* Feeling of "impending doom"
* Anxiety

Calling your health care provider
Call your local emergency number (such as 911) if crushing chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of heart attack occurs. It is vitally important to get help immediately to stop the progression of damage to the heart muscle.

Prevention
To prevent a heart attack:

* Control your blood pressure.
* Control total cholesterol levels. To help with cholesterol control, your doctor may prescribe medication
* Stop smoking if you smoke.
* Eat a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat.
* Control diabetes.
* Lose weight if you are overweight.
* Exercise daily or several times a week by walking and other exercises to improve heart fitness. (Consult your health care provider first)

If you have one or more risk factors for heart disease, talk to your doctor about possibly taking aspirin to help prevent a heart attack.

After a heart attack, follow-up care is important to reduce the risk of having a second heart attack. Often, a cardiac rehabilitation program is recommended to help you gradually return to a "normal" lifestyle. Follow the exercise, diet, and medication regimen prescribed by your doctor.

For more information on heart disease and what you can do to reduce your risk, talk with your health care provider or visit http://www.americanheart.org

"HEALTHY YOU” is a weekly column prepared by health care providers and staff at North Country Hospital and Health System. For information or to suggest a topic for this column, please call Mary Perkins, Wellness Center Manager, 334-3226, or email mperkins@nchsi.org.