NewZealandWoman’sWeekly 53
Heart to HEART!
1 Awoman’sheartbeatsslightlyfaster
thanaman’s–^78 beatsperminute
comparedwith70.
2 Thebeatingsoundofyourheart
iscausedbythevalvesopening
andshutting.
3 Mostheart
attackshappen
onaMonday.
4 Owning
acatcan
reducethe
riskofaheart
attackbymore
thanathird.FACTS ABOUT
4 YOUR HEART
indigestionorabdominalpain.- Shortnessofbreathand
difficultybreathing. - Breakingoutin a coldsweat.
- Feelingsuddenlydizzyor
light-headed.
Womensometimes
experienceheartattacks
differentlytomen.Chestpain
ordiscomfortmaynotbethe
worstsymptom,ornoticeable
atall.Thepainis morelikelyto
spreadasfarastheshoulders,
neck,abdomenandback.It
mayfeelmorelikeindigestion
and not be consistent.
In somecases,theremaynot
beseverepain,butnausea,
dizziness,heartpalpitations,
sweatingandunexplained
anxiety.Youmayhavenoticed
extremefatigueleadingup
totheheartattack.
If youhavediabetesand
experiencea heartattack,you
maynotfeeltheusualchest
painbecauseofdamagetothe
nervescausedbyyourdiabetes.
Thesymptomsyouaremore
likelytonoticeare:- Shortnessofbreath
- Unexplained nausea
- Highbloodglucoselevels
fornoobviousreason.
WHATSHOULDYOU
DOIFYOUTHINK
YOUMAYBEHAVING
A HEARTATTACK?
Stopwhateveryouaredoing
andsitdown.Trytostay
calmandassesshowyoufeel.
If youhaveanyofthesymptoms
listedabove,call 111 andask
foranambulance.
Don’tdelay.Thelongeryou
leaveit, thegreaterthedamage
beingdonetoyourheart.This
can affect your chances of
- Highbloodglucoselevels
survivingandofdeveloping
heartdiseaseduetomuscle
damageif youdopullthrough.
Remember,exceptin rare
cases,it is bettertogetan
ambulancetocometoyou
thantogetsomeonetodrive
youtoa hospital.That’sbecause
ambulancestaffaretrainedto
treatheartattacksandcarry
medicationthatcangetthe
bloodflowingagain.They
cangiveyoutreatmentas
soonastheyarrive.
Beaware,theoperatormay
advisetakinganaspirin.This
canhelptoimprovebloodflow.
If youhaveangina,takea puff
ofyourprescribedspray.Wait
fiveminutes,thentakeanother
puff.If you’restillexperiencing
symptoms,treatit asa heart
attackandcall111.
WHATIFYOUSUSPECT
SOMEONEISHAVING
A HEARTATTACK?
Startbyaskingthemabout
theirsymptoms.If theyinclude
anyofthoselistedabove,call
111 immediatelyandfollowthe
adviceoftheoperator.
If theybecomeunconscious,
startCPR.The 111 operatorcan
giveyouinstructionsif you’re
notsurewhattodo.
If thepersonis unconscious
anda defibrillatoris available,
followtheinstructionsforitsuse.
WHATHAPPENSWHEN
YOUGETTOHOSPITAL?
You’llbegivena varietyof
medicationsthatcandissolve
theclotblockingyourartery,
prevent new clots from forming,Quittingsmoking
is justonelifestyle
changethatcan
easeyourriskof
heartdisease
and heart attack.