February is Heart Health Month and the color red symbolizes the fight against heart disease in women. One in three women die of heart disease or stroke ever year, according to the American Heart Association. Education and lifestyle changes, however, can prevent 80 percent of cardiac events.
Heart Attach Warning Signs:
- Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
- Shortness of Breath, with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
Stroke Warning Signs – Spot a Stroke F.A.S.T.
- F – Face Drooping – does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- A – Arm Weakness – is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Dos one arm drift downward?
- S – Speech Difficulty – is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they ard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue”. Is the sentence repeated correctly”
- T – Time to call 9-1-1- if the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-11 and get them to the hospital immediately
Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs
- Sudden Loss of Responsiveness – No response to tapping on shoulders
- No Normal Breathing – The person does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds.