Here are 7 common misconceptions about heart attacks:
1. A healthy person would not have a heart attack
Most people who are overweight, or rarely exercise are more prone to heart attacks.
But skinny people, doing regular exercise and eating healthy foods is not entirely safe from a heart attack.
This is because the deposits of cholesterol which is the most common cause of arterial blockage can occur in people who are too skinny.
In addition, heart problems and heart attacks could be genetic. So, if someone has a history of heart problems in his family members, he was at risk of having the same problem.
Other factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure may also increase the risk no matter how much weight a person.
Gender and age are also influential. So despite feeling healthy, be sure to perform regular health checks.
2. It is easy to recognize the symptoms of heart attack
Symptoms of a heart attack is not always clear. Classic symptoms include pain that spreads to the left arm, neck, or jaw.
Other symptoms include:
chest pain
Tightness in the chest
Pain in the neck or jaw
Pain in one or both arms (especially the left)
shortness of breath
sweat
nausea
Or throbbing pain between the shoulder blades
3. Do not feel chest pain means no heart attack
Most of us believe that a heart attack will cause pain in the chest.
But as mentioned above, knowing the symptoms of a heart attack is not always easy. 40 to 60 percent of people who have a heart attack do not experience symptoms khsusus.
4. Women will not suffer a heart attack
True, women are less prone to heart attacks before menopause because of the presence of estrogen which protects women from heart attacks.
But post-menopausal women have the same risk level as men, maybe even more.
According to the statistics:
Worldwide, 8.6 million women die each year from heart disease (including heart attack), accounts for a third of all deaths in women.
Women are two times more likely (than men) to die in the first few weeks after suffering a heart attack.
5. Women have the same symptoms as men when having a heart attack
Women usually do not experience chest pain as men when having a heart attack.
When having a heart attack, 71% of women feel physically weakened suddenly and often without any chest pain at all.
Nearly two-thirds of deaths from heart attacks in women are not preceded by chest pain.
Here are some of the symptoms of heart attack in women:
shortness of breath
Body feels weak
fatigue
nausea
dizziness
Stomach feels uncomfortable
6. If the chest pain, wait, who knows will disappear by itself
If you experience chest pain, do not just wait it out.
When chest pain, shortness of breath, or other symptoms that indicate a heart attack, immediately contact your doctor.
Early anticipation will make handling easier walking.
7. Young people will have heart problems
Despite the increasing age of a person more susceptible to heart attacks, coronary artery disease is very likely evolve as teens.
Healthy lifestyle should be initiated as early as possible so that the children do not have bad habits that they will carry into adulthood.
Parents should encourage children to exercise, limit the time spent in front of the television or computer screen, and eating healthy foods.
Children, who are obese, have high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease have a higher risk of having a heart attack.
