You’ve almost certainly heard of a heart attack. But do you know the signs and symptoms of having one? Or what to do for treatment after one? Buckeye Heart and Vascular Institute, your vascular doctor in Dayton, OH, explains what you need to know about a heart attack.
Heart Attack Risk Factors
It’s important to know if you’re at risk for a heart attack. Knowing the risk factors can help you do your part to minimize them to avoid your chance of having a heart attack. As you get older, you’re at a higher risk. Minimizing other risk factors can help you as you get older. Some of the common ones include obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. A lack of exercise contributes as well.
Check your family history if you’re able to. Having heart problems and suffering from heart attacks can run in the family. Using drugs or tobacco also increases your chances, so avoiding or stopping these habits can help. People that suffer from diabetes have a higher risk. Working in a stressful profession or having a generally high-stress lifestyle are bad things for your heart.
Are You Having Heart Attack Warning Signs?
Many heart attacks come on suddenly, with no warning. But you may have warning signs before you’re hit with one. Women and men tend to experience different symptoms. You can’t always trust the typical warning signs you hear on television, as you may experience something that’s very different.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, especially if you experience many of them at the same time, call a doctor or go to a hospital immediately:
- Cold sweat or sweating profusely
- Fatigue
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Experiencing nausea or shortness of breath
- Feeling pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing and aching sensation in your chest or arms. You may also feel these things in your neck, jaw, or back
How are Heart Attacks Diagnosed and Treated?
At Buckeye Heart and Vascular Institute, your Dayton, OH vascular doctor can perform diagnostic testing to determine a variety of things. Testing allows us to not only detect if you’ve had a heart attack but how much damage was done to your heart by it. We can see the underlying cause and determine the treatment options that can help you avoid more heart damage in the future.
There is no “one treatment fits all” fix for heart attacks and heart damage. Every patient is different, so we create a custom treatment plan for each individual. Treatments may include things like cardiac ablation, valve surgery, bypass surgery, medical device implants, and other options. Sometimes these may be used simultaneously to get you the treatment you need.
Your Vascular Doctor in Dayton, Ohio
Do you think you’ve had a heart attack or may be at risk for one? Call us or schedule an appointment online to minimize your risk of further heart damage.