According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is equally divided among men and women. It is the leading cause of death for American Indians, Alaska Natives and African Americans. While there are many types of heart disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that coronary heart disease (also called CHD, coronary artery disease or CAD) is the principle type of heart disease in the United States, claiming more than 445,000 lives in 2005. Despite all of the attention heart disease has received through the media, the risk factors and warning signs are not always understood. However, in recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding how to interpret the early warning signs of heart disease and what you can do about them.
What Is a Heart Attack
Despite the fact that the heart pumps over 5 liters of blood a minute throughout the body, it does not get its own blood supply from the blood leaving its chambers. Instead, the heart depends on a series of coronary arteries for its own blood supply. Beginning in your early 20s, cholesterol from saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet begins to accumulate on the inside of the coronary arteries. Over time, cholesterol can accumulate, harden and totally occlude the coronary arteries, robbing the heart of its blood supply. The result is a heart attack.
Angina Pectoris
Related to a heart attack is a condition called angina pectoris. Angina is the first symptom that the heart is not getting enough blood and typically feels like intense or crushing chest pressure or shortness of breath--but not always. Angina can also manifest itself in a variety of ways that are similar to many other symptoms of a heart attack.
Early Warning Signs of Heart Disease
Thanks to the media, television, movies and other forms of mass communication, the general public is becoming educated about the most common symptoms of heart disease. These include discomfort or heaviness in the chest that can last for over 30 minutes before dissipating. Heart disease victims can also feel intense pain running down their left (or less commonly, right) arm, pain between the shoulder blades, upper back, neck, jaw and experience shortness of breath or the feeling like they cannot get enough air to breathe. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, lightheadedness, a toothache, fatigue and a sense of impending doom. These symptoms can persist for hours and on rare occasions, dissipate on their own, only to return again.
Warning Signs in Women
In addition to all of the symptoms mentioned above, women can experience a number of other symptoms that are commonly mistaken for something other than heart disease--both by themselves and by health care providers. Women's symptoms often come on more slowly than men's, so they downplay the sense of urgency. Coupled with the feeling that, "This can't be happening to me," many women wait for hours--sometimes days--before seeking emergency medical attention. And while they may experience many of the same symptoms as men, women often complain more of indigestion and other symptoms than those normally associated with heart disease.
Keeping Things in Perspective
Although it's typical for many sufferers of heart disease to discount the seriousness of their symptoms, it's wise to seek immediate medical treatment for any unexplained symptoms, especially if there is a history of heart disease in your family. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute states, "One cannot overemphasize the importance of seeking prompt medical attention in the presence of symptoms that suggest a heart attack. Early diagnosis and treatment saves lives, and delays in reaching medical assistance can be fatal."
