Angina or heart attack?
If you have risk factors for heart attacks should always lookout for signs of angina or heart attack. If you have a sudden heart problem, get medical attention quickly can save your life.
Angina and heart attack
Angina is a painful burning sensation, tightness or pressure in the chest, back, neck, throat or jaw that shows a reduction in the blood supply to the heart. Angina is a sign that you may have or are about to have a heart attack.
A heart attack, also known as acute myocardial infarction or AMI, is what happens when blood can’t reach part of the heart muscle. A part of the heart muscle tissue dies. Although many people survive heart attacks can be fatal. In the case of a heart attack, it is essential to get help as soon as possible (Read about prevention of heart attacks on using Norvasc (amlodipine)).
Stable angina compared with stable angina
Stable angina, also known as chronic angina has a typical pattern. It occurs predictably with physical exertion or strong emotion. The symptoms are easily relieved by rest and nitroglycerin or both. The symptoms of angina are likely to produce the same feeling every time you have.
Unstable angina leads to unexpected reactions that mainly occur at rest and is a medical emergency. The angina is also considered unstable if rest and nitroglycerin no relief of symptoms or if the symptoms are severe, occur more frequently and last longer. These symptoms suggest a severe blockage or spasm of an artery of the heart. Unstable angina is usually a sign of an active heart attack. Remember the following tips:
- Symptoms of stable angina only last a few minutes. If it lasts longer, or disappear and reappear, you may be having a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Symptoms of stable angina should go away with rest or medications
- If you have difficulty breathing, cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
You should never “diagnosing” angina himself. If these symptoms are new or worse than normal, call 911!
Warning signs of a heart attack
If you have symptoms that can’t be explained, call 911 immediately. The following symptoms are warning signs of a possible heart attack:
- Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve some discomfort in the middle of the chest that continues more than a few minutes, or disappears and returns.
- Discomfort in other upper body areas (arms, neck, back, jaw).
- Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing) with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs may include cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
Like men, women often have pain or discomfort in the chest as a symptom of heart attack. But women are slightly more likely than men to have other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea, back pain or jaw pain.
Comments are currently closed.