Every 34 seconds, roughly, a person in the United States has a heart attack. Some of these people survive, and then return to their normal lives like nothing happened.

However, heart attack is one of the most common causes of premature death and this should be taken really seriously.

Acute myocardial infarction (or AMI) is this condition which occurs when the blood stops its appropriate flow to the heart, causing its muscles to get damaged because of the lack of oxygen.

Fortunately, before occurring, the AMI has a set of warning signs which, if noticed timely and taken seriously, can lead to saving your life.

Warning Signs:

1. Sudden Chest Pain

This pain usually occurs in the center or at the left side of the chest area of a person and it lasts up to a few minutes. However, often times, this pain keeps going away and coming back. This warning sign also includes a feeling of fullness, pressure, or even a squeezing sensation.

Numerous people get the feeling of indigestion or/and heartburn when experiencing this symptom.

2. Upper Body Part Discomfort

This discomfort can be experienced in any upper body part: in both arms or just in one, in the jaw, in the neck, in the back, in the shoulders, and even in the upper side of the stomach.

3. Trouble Catching Your Breath

The AMI can also be manifested through a shortness of breath which is a result of the tight feeling in the chest. This feeling usually happens during or before any chest pain. You can notice this sign at any time, whether you are resting or being active.

4. Feeling Dizzy

Dizziness can also be a potential sign of AMI, as well as sudden lightheadedness that happens for no apparent reason.

5. Cold Sweat

If it often happens to you to break into a cold sweat all of a sudden, you might need to get more careful.

Other possible warning signs are nausea, anxiety, vomiting, restlessness, intense fear of death and generally feeling unwell.

However, these warning signs tend to vary from person to person, some people do not even realize that they are actually experiencing heart attack symptoms.

Risk Factors

It often happens that some individuals are more prone to experience a heart attack than others. The major risk factors are the following ones:

– Age

– Diabetes

– Smoking

– Chronic kidney disease

– Insufficient physical activity

– Overuse of alcohol

– Obesity

– Unnatural blood levels in certain lipids

– Amphetamine and cocaine use

– High blood pressure

Preventive Tips

There are numerous ways for you to keep any heart attack at bay, including a healthy lifestyle, a nutritious diet plan, as well as regular physical activity.

However, here we have highlighted the most useful tips you should follow in order to prevent heart attacks:

• Take at least six to seven hours of quality sleep every night
• Exercise on a daily basis
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
• If you are a smoker, quit smoking. Even if you are a secondary smoker, it is very bad for your health
• If you have diabetes, make sure you always keep this condition under control by taking the proper measures
• Avoid situations that cause stress
• Do not consume alcohol in excess amounts
• If you are overweight, do something and try to reduce at least some of that extra weight
• Make sure you keep your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels under control

What to Do if You Experience Any Signs

Usually, the warning signs we just talked about will go away on their own. However, if they do not go away for more than ten minutes, you need to do something about them and act quickly.

In case that your blood flow is not restored quick enough, then some heart muscle parts start to die, and this can lead to long-lasting, serious issues, such as heart failure. Here are some measures you can take right away:

• Immediately seek for medical help, even if you are not sure that it is a heart attack. If it is, this would be your best chance to survive
• Do not drive when you are experiencing a heart attack. Instead, ask someone else to drive you to the hospital or call an ambulance and wait for them to take you.
• Maybe you will find this hard, but you really need to remain calm when you are experiencing a heart attack. The last thing you should do is panic. Take slow and deep breaths.
• If you find yourself in a closed space, try to open any doors or windows and breathe in the fresh air from outside
• Take an aspirin and chew it on. Except in case if you are allergic to it. The aspirin will help you inhibit your plate lets, which in turn will lessen the damage done to your heart.

Do not forget that when you or someone next to you is being experiencing a heart attack, every minute counts.

Knowing the warning signs and the necessary measures you need to take can be a life-saver. The life you will be saving might as well be your own. That’s why you need to stay on the safe side.

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Source: health-and-love-page.com