What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke?
Heart Attack Symptoms/Warning Signs
What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke?
Jun Pangilinan MD, Joanna Pangilinan PharmD Be a steward of your own health - Control your Blood Pressure!
What is High Blood Pressure?
Most simply, high blood pressure (also called hypertension) is elevated pressure in your blood vessels. Because of this, the heart must work harder to pump. Over time, hypertension may damage the blood vessels, heart, brain, or kidneys. Because hypertension is painless, often the first sign of hypertension is a heart attack or a stroke. Hence, hypertension is called the "silent killer."So why is keeping my blood pressure under control so important?
Untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure greatly increases your risk for heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney diseases.What are the risks for developing high blood pressure?
Risk factors for hypertension include smoking, excess body weight, diabetes, excess sodium intake, low physical activity, inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables, and excess alcohol intake.
What should my blood pressure be?
The optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Contact your physician for any reading (either number) higher than 120/80.Who should be screened and how often?
Studies have noted that 30% of people with hypertension do not know it. Annual screening is necessary for everyone- especially those with risk factors.How can I get screened?
Your doctor's office is not the only place where you can check your blood pressure. Many pharmacies or supermarkets have automated devices that quickly measure your blood pressure. Screening is available here at St. Francis Parish! Buying a device for home usage is another alternative; easy to use devices are relatively inexpensive. A blood pressure wallet card is available online at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/hbpwallet.htm to help you and your doctor keep track of your blood pressure.It is important that you maintain a relationship with your physician so that your blood pressure history is monitored and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease are evaluated. Remember to be honest with your doctor and follow his/her recommendations.
High blood pressure can
be treated-
YOU can make the difference.
This simple screening can
help you
improve your health for years
to come.
Be a steward of your own
health and
take care of your heart.
Heart Attack Symptoms/Warning Signs
Warning Signs of Heart Attack
Heart disease is also a major problem in our society. Nearly 250,000 people a year die from a sudden heart attack each year in the United States. The medical community often calls a heart attack a myocardial infarction (MI). During a heart attack one of the blood vessels, that supply the heart muscle with needed blood, becomes blocked - by either a blood clot or some other substance. When the blockage occurs, the part of the heart that receives blood and oxygen form that blood vessel becomes damaged. The severity of the damage that occurs to that part of the heart depends on several factors including the location of the blood vessel occlusion, how much of the blood vessel is blocked, and how long the blood vessel is blocked. Knowing the early warning signs of a heart attack may help you or someone you love avoid severe damage to their heart by getting to the hospital early. Early treatment of a heart attack is a major reason why some people recover from their heart attacks and why some people do not.Most of us know that it is important to get to the hospital if we are experiencing signs and symptoms of either stroke or heart attack - but too often we are not sure what these may be. The following list will help you to recognize these signs and symptoms. The St. Francis Health Ministry hopes that you will pull out this list (pull out sheet on facing page) and place it on the refrigerator door, or some other readily accessible spot for quick reference.
If you think you are having a heart attack, call
911 immediately.
The American Heart Association says the body will likely send one or more of these:
Most common or "classic" warning signals of a heart attack:
Pressure in the chest: Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. Spreading pain: Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, or arms. Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath.
Less common warning signs of a heart attack:
Unusual chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain Nausea or dizziness Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
Not all of these signs occur in every heart attack. Sometimes they go away and return. If some occur, get help. If you notice these signs in yourself or someone else, call 911 and get medical help right away. A doctor who has studied the results of several tests must make the actual diagnosis of a heart attack. Don't try to diagnose yourself.These warning signs provided by the American Heart Association.
