Home One Woman's Triumph over Cancer Lung Cancer Can Be Caught Early Heart Attack or Indigestion? Know Your Heart Heart Disease and Women How Prenatal Screenings and Ultrasounds Can Help Find Relief for Incontinence, Pelvic Pain – Finally Knee Pain Can Be Sign of a More Serious Condition

Heart Attack or Indigestion? Know Your Heart You're having chest pain and feeling sick to your stomach. Do you reach for the antacids or head to the ER? Because indigestion and heart attack can have similar symptoms, it's important to listen to your body and know when to seek medical attention. In addition, it's equally important to help ER doctors diagnose your condition by being open and honest about your health history and current situation. Sorting Out Symptoms Heart attack symptoms are different for every person and don't always include the crushing chest pain typically associated with a heart attack. Instead, you may feel nauseated or break out in a cold sweat. The pain may radiate down your arms or migrate to your neck and shoulders. Men and women often experience heart attacks differently, and even those who have had a heart attack previously may have a different set of symptoms with a subsequent heart attack. Indigestion symptoms vary from person to person as well. Pain that's uncharacteristic may be a clue that something more serious is happening. When in doubt, get help – that way, if your condition escalates, medical professionals will be close by to provide treatment that could save your life. Help Us Help You Providing health care professionals with the right information can help them diagnose your condition sooner so you get the treatment you need. Don't understate pain or symptoms. No one wants to believe they are having a heart attack, but it doesn't help to tell others you're feeling OK when you're not. Playing down the seriousness of your pain or symptoms only makes it harder to correctly diagnose your condition. Be proactive with your health history. You may not think to quickly volunteer information about your risk factors – smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or family history of heart disease – because of fear or guilt about poor health habits. But this information is essential in providing a bigger picture of your health so doctors can better diagnose and treat you. Schedule a follow-up exam. Even if your chest pain doesn't escalate to a heart attack, it's still a good idea to follow up with your health care provider. Ask about ways to prevent or lower your risk for heart disease through diet, exercise, medication and/or lifestyle changes. Heart Attack: Know the Symptoms Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Many people don't know they have heart disease until they have a heart attack. So it is important to recognize the warning signs and act quickly. Heart attack symptoms vary widely, from intense pain to mild discomfort, and can be different for women than men. Symptoms include: Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest. Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body including the arms, neck, back, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath that can occur before the chest discomfort. Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or dizziness. For both men and women, the most common symptom is chest pain. But women are more likely than men to experience the other symptoms mentioned and not perceive it to be a heart attack. If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to act quickly. Don't wait more than five minutes – call 911. Before it happens to you, know your risk factors. To schedule a heart and vascular screening, call 888-285-1432. < Winter 2008