Heart disease is still the #1 killer of Americans, despite improvements in prevention, detection, and treatment over the past few decades. It manifests in so many different and confusing ways, that you might not recognize when you need to seek help. But there’s good news! Usually when heart disease is identified early and promptly treated, you can improve your health, feel better, and live a longer, fruitful life.
Urgent Heart Disease Symptoms which need Immediate Attention:
Some symptoms are very urgent warnings which should prompt you to call 911 and/or go to an emergency room immediately. They include the following:
- You feel chest pains or chest tightness, achy jaw or arm pain which does not go away even with resting.
- You feel severe shortness of breath which does not go away even with resting.
- You suddenly have an unexplained fainting episode.
- You suddenly experience a tearing chest or back pain, which is alarming (makes you anxious, sweaty, faint headed).
- You start wheezing and coughing up pink, frothy fluid.
- One part of your body (e.g. face, hands, legs) suddenly goes numb for no reason.
- Fingers or toes suddenly become numb, discolored, and cold.
If any of these things happen DO NOT DRIVE YOURSELF to the nearest emergency room, since you may collapse and die on the way. Call 911 and have an ambulance take you since they have the equipment to revive you on the way if needed. If no ambulance is readily available, then have someone else drive you to the emergency room.
All these signs and symptoms are clearly worrisome. But “take heart” in that we now have several ways of rapidly diagnosing and treating the underlying heart condition, whatever it may be. The sooner you take care of yourself by seeing a healthcare provider, the better are your chances of survival if you are indeed having a heart attack, stroke, dangerous heart rhythm, heart valve problem, or any of the other things that can affect your heart. Never ignore such symptoms and signs. Again, Take CHARGE is here to help!
Also read about Non-Urgent Heart Disease Symptoms
