Heart Health Awareness is for Grandparents

Heart Health Awareness

Today I spoke with a friend who had a heart attack last weekend. This is how she described it.

“We were getting ready to watch the University of Kentucky Wildcats play when I realized I didn’t feel well. I had eaten something that was spicy and decided I was experiencing heart burn. I tried to make myself burp but couldn’t. My husband told me to take an antacid. Then I felt pain in my jaw. I knew these were symptoms of a heart attack but I wouldn’t let myself belief that that was what was happening. I’ve always eaten healthy because my husband had a history of heart disease in his family. If anyone was going to have a heart attack I thought it would be him.”

My friend got to feeling better and waited until Monday to go see a doctor. She was informed she had a 90 percent blockage, and that she had experienced a heart attack. Later that day she went to surgery and a stent was inserted. She’s home now recovering and expected to be back to her normal self soon.

Not every story has a happy ending like my friend’s did. And, her story could have been different if she hadn’t gone on to see the doctor Monday.

Heart Health Awareness facts

Look these symptoms over carefully! (from the American Heart Association)

If you have any of these signs, call 911 and get to a hospital right away.

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 may experience other symptoms that are typically less associated with heart attack, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you have any of these symptom please go get checked out! It might just save your life!

More Heart Health Awareness

Also, if you go to the American Heart Association page be sure and take Damar Hamlin’s 3 step challenge! I also encourage you to wear red this month and to visit Go Red for Women.