Most heart attacks are accompanied by a set of common symptoms. These may include all or some of the following: moderate to severe mid-chest pain lasting more than several minutes; pain that radiates to the back, jaw, shoulder, and left arm; dizziness and nausea; heavy thumping of the heart; irregular heart beats; shortness of breath; restlessness; and profuse sweating. Less common symptoms include chest pain spreading to the right arm, abdominal or stomach pain partially relieved by burping, poor circulation, anxiety, weakness, fatigue, and disorientation. Occasionally, during what's known as a silent heart attack, these indicators may be entirely absent or barely noticeable. This kind of attack is usually not discovered until later, when the heart electrical activity is monitored for some separate purpose by an electrocardiogram (ee-leck-trow-CARD-ee-oh-gram). In the event that any of the previously mentioned heart attack symptoms are suspected, it's critical to seek out immediate medical attention, since prompt treatment may significantly improve chances of survival. Usually, heart attack cases are admitted to a hospital cardiac care unit where heart rhythm, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels may be carefully monitored. Specialized care providers in such units may then be able to evaluate the extent of any resulting heart muscle damage, as well as detect other ongoing cardiac problems requiring treatment.
©2006 Crossroads Mobile. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
