Trying to determine if you are having a heart attack or not could take precious time that may ultimately cost you your life. Every 43 seconds in the United States, someone suffers a heart attack. Studies have shown that the average person will wait about three hours before seeking medical attention.

So why would anyone wait to seek treatment if they think they are having a heart attack? Everyone responds differently to situations like this, and your first response could be to wait until you’re sure it’s a heart attack before making a trip to the emergency room, or fear or stress could prevent you from making a decision.

The sooner you can get to an ER or to our physician’s office, the better your chance of survival and less damage there will be to the heart muscle. Of those who die of a heart attack, half die within an hour of the first symptom or before they reach a hospital.

Don’t take a chance — know the facts and act fast. A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart suddenly becomes blocked and the heart cannot get oxygen. If not treated quickly, the heart muscle fails to pump blood and begins to die.  When experiencing a heart attack, it’s important to act as quickly as possible. Know the warning signs so you can take action.

The Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Chest pain or discomfort: Most heart attacks will cause discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. This discomfort may last for a few minutes or could go away and come back. It could feel like a squeezing, fullness or pain. It could also feel like heartburn or indigestion.

Upper body discomfort: You might experience pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button).

Shortness of breath: This might be your only symptom. It may happen before or along with chest pain or chest discomfort. You might experience this when you are resting or during physical activity.

Other possible symptoms: Cold sweats, unusual tiredness (especially in women), nausea and vomiting, light-headedness or sudden dizziness.

Heart attacks can look different for every person. As many as one-third of heart attack patients, particularly those who are older, female or diabetic, may not have chest pain.  Elderly people are less likely to have arm pain, nausea, vomiting and sweating and are more likely to experience confusion, fainting and difficulty breathing.

You can have several of the common warning signs or you may have only subtle symptoms – often they are vague, come on gradually, and stop and then start again. Some people may not feel well for days or even weeks earlier.  If you have already had a heart attack, the symptoms may not be the same as your previous heart attack.  If you are feeling fundamentally different, get checked out and communicate your symptoms or feelings as specifically as possible.

It is important to know the signs, symptoms and your family history of heart disease. Make yourself familiar with the most common signs, but also remember that less common signs are just as important to respond to with action.

DON’T WAIT!

Quick action can save your life. Call 9-1-1. Any time you think you may be having a heart attack take action, even if you are not sure it is a heart attack. Don’t be embarrassed to call for help.  An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital.  If you are having a heart attack, the EMS personnel can begin life-saving medicines and treatments right away. Oftentimes when you arrive at the hospital by ambulance you receive faster treatment.

Every minute you wait to go to the hospital, the less likely you are to survive a heart attack or to avoid damage to the heart muscle.  Your best chance of a good outcome is to get to the hospital within an hour.

Don’t wait and take action. And don’t let fear of COVID-19 keep you from seeking emergency help — our clinics are taking all necessary precautions to keep you safe from infection. For more information about treating heart conditions, see our heart health insights and tips.

 

A surprise party, a scary movie, chasing grandkids across the lawn – everyday situations can make your heart beat faster. But an abnormal rhythm that comes and goes could be a sign of atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart issue that can affect your quality of life and even lead to serious issues like heart failure and stroke.

Understanding AF
Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm caused by electrical circuits in the heart, often affecting the upper chamber. Symptoms can include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and swelling. Some people with AF can go on to develop heart failure because it stretches out the chambers of the heart and can cause leaking.

Not surprisingly, AF can have a real impact on quality of life. Yet many patients ignore symptoms or chalk them up to aging.

As an electrophysiologist, Dr. Monico Lo is an expert in the abnormal electrical signals that cause AF. You might think of her as an electrician for the heart. She helps prevent, manage and even resolve AF in patients of all ages, and sees firsthand how this issue can impact lives.

“You don’t want to ignore atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. Lo. “The most devastating thing I see is someone showing up with stroke and it’s their first diagnosis of AF.”

Diagnosing AF
In her AF practice, Dr. Lo sees patients from their teens to patients in their 90s and 100s. Some have a genetic predisposition for AF, some develop it over time and some experience sudden onset. AF is often associated with comorbidities, like sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes and heart failure.

While AF is an issue that can affect people at any age, older patients are at higher risk. In fact, according to Dr. Lo, more than 20% of people over age 80 have AF.

“People might think that because they’re 60, they can’t do what they did at 30,” Dr. Lo said. “But people are living longer and longer, and we want to take care of those things.”

In younger patients, AF can be linked to thyroid issues, stimulants like caffeine and energy drinks, or binge drinking. Too much alcohol can stretch out the top chambers of the heart, which can trigger AF. Alcohol is also a diuretic, so too much can result in low potassium and low magnesium, causing an electrolyte imbalance that can trigger AF.

Regardless of the cause, detecting AF can be tricky. Since episodes come and go, doctors need to “catch it” happening, often with EKG or a heart monitor. But improved tracking methods are making AF detection easier.

Treating AF
The first step is to identify and address reversible causes or triggers. If AF is still an issue, the next step is management with a focus on reducing AF episodes and preventing stroke. An individualized care plan is key.

“We try to find a medication that is effective for that individual patient with the lowest side effect, based on their profile,” Dr. Lo said.

Patients can also have an ablation procedure. Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that mainly targets veins from the lungs entering the left top chamber of the heart. It stops the abnormal electrical signals while still allowing flood flow. According to Dr. Lo, an ablation procedure can often resolve AF and get patients off of long-term medication.

“Sometimes it’s a combination of ablation and medication,” she said, “and sometimes we have to go in and touch up after ablation when the muscle fibers grow in and start firing those electrical signals again.”

Her recommendation? Take action on AF.

“The earlier we get hold of patients, the higher the success rate.”

Arkansas Heart Hospital offers atrial fibrillation and electrophysiology services through its Heart Rhythm Institute. You can also discover more heart health insights here to live a healthier and more proactive life.

Experiencing heartbreak can be devastating emotionally, but did you know that it can affect your physical health as well? Broken heart syndrome, also referred to as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a phenomenon that mimics a heart attack in almost every way except that there are no blockages in the arteries.

The symptoms of broken heart syndrome are similar to those of a heart attack, including shortness of breath and chest pain. Broken Heart Syndrome is often triggered by stressful events or extreme emotions. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Gary Nash explains that the condition is most common in postmenopausal women, although he has seen it in a variety of demographics. There are other risk factors including a history of neurological conditions (such as epilepsy), or a history of psychiatric disorders (anxiety or depression).

It is believed that the release of stress hormones, including adrenaline, causes the heart to dilate and weaken. Broken hearts are treatable, and the condition usually reverses itself within a few days. In rare cases, the syndrome can be fatal.

Broken heart syndrome is believed to be the reason couples who have been together for long periods of time often die within days of each other. If you are grieving the loss of a loved one or experiencing other extreme emotions and start to experience heart attack symptoms such as sudden onset chest discomfort or shortness of breath, Dr. Gary Nash recommends you immediately call 911.

To learn more about heart-related health issues and get expert insights for maintaining your health, check these other heart health tips.