heartdiseasesecretreport.comHeart Attack Symtoms

A heart attack (myocardial infarction), is a common but often deadly event. Over one million Americans suffer from heart attacks each year and approximately one in three of these people will die.

During a heart attack, an artery providing the heart with oxygen-rich blood is blocked by blood platelets. The heart thus becomes oxygen deprived and heart muscle cells begin to die. Permanent damage can be caused in a very short time.

Signs & Symptoms

Heart attacks can occur quickly but there may be warning signs and symptoms. These can include:

• Pressure, squeezing, or pain in the chest

• Shortness of breath

• Sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath

• Back, stomach, neck, or jaw pain or discomfort

• Irregular or rapid heart beats

These symptoms may develop over minutes, hours, or days before the heart attack occurs. It is also possible to have a ‘silent’ heart attack, occurring without symptoms, although these are most common in diabetics.

Treatments

Because permanent heart damage, or even death, can occur very quickly after the onset of the heart attack, symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency and treatment sought immediately. There are a number of medications that should be administered by medical health professionals immediately upon even the suspicion of a heart attack. These include:

• Oxygen

• Aspirin

• Beta blockers

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

• Thrombolytic medicines

There are also certain diagnostic tests that should be performed to verify whether a heart attack has occurred and if so, how much damage the heart has sustained.

• Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG)

• Chest X-Rays

• Blood Tests

Misdiagnosis

Once a doctor or first responder is notified, the key to surviving and recovering from a heart attack is proper diagnosis. Diagnosis is first made based on symptoms, many of which mimic the symptoms of a number of other conditions.

• Angina: Characterized by pain in the chest lasting for a few minutes, angina is a side-effect of coronary artery disease. While abnormal angina can signal the onset of a heart attack, the pain usually passes.

• Heartburn & Indigestion: Pain associated with these common conditions can be mistaken for heart attack pain.

If an improper diagnosis is made based on symptoms, the appropriate medications will not be administered and tests will not be performed. The heart can sustain serious and irreparable damage. People who suffered from, and survived, an undiagnosed heart attack have an increased risk of a second heart attack.

Many heart attacks that go unaddressed or undiagnosed are deadly. The National Institutes of Health estimates that approximately half of the people suffering from heart attacks die will die within an hour of experiencing the first symptoms.

Legal Options

When a heart attack is misdiagnosed and further tests and treatments are not undertaken to rule out the possibility of a heart attack, there may be an issue of medical negligence. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering incurred as a result of the misdiagnosis. When misdiagnosis of a heart attack results in death, a wrongful death lawsuit may be appropriate.

Diagnosing medical conditions is complicated, and proving a misdiagnosis can be equally so. According to Salt Lake City medical malpractice attorney Ryan Springer of G. Eric Nielson & Associates, the medical field has its own language, which can be impossible to understand for those outside the field. The complexity of the language and issues makes medical malpractice law an area where it is essential to have legal representation skilled in medical malpractice issues.

Most people will experience Heartburn or Acid Reflux at some point in their lives. I count myself in that category.

IT CAN BE VERY PAINPUL!

So PAINFUL that these symptoms are often mistaken for a HEART ATTACK!

If that sounds like you, then it is essential to understand the SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES!

# 1 HEARTBURN & ACID REFUX â?? Typical Causes and Symptoms

This condition typically starts with pain occurring right behind the breastbone resulting from stomach acid which refluxes up into the oesophagus.

This pain can be felt as a burning sensation, either as a spasm or a sharp pain. Stomach contents may rise as far as the throat (often described as repeating) and be experienced as regurgitation. It can include a bitter or sour taste at the back of your throat, belching, bloating and early satiety (feeling full too soon).

When severe, it may resemble vomiting or the sensation of having a Heart Attack.

#2 HEART ATTACK â?? Typical Causes and Symptoms

Risk Group: If you are in a specific risk group you are more likely to have a Heart Attack. That group includes: Men, starting from middle age and up; having high blood pressure or high cholesterol in your blood; being overweight, or if you don’t exercise regularly; or if you are a smoker.

Specific Symptoms to Watch For: Chest pain is a major symptom of heart attack; however, some people may have little or no chest pain, especially the elderly and those with diabetes.

Additional symptoms may include – excessive sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, palpitations, faintness, fainting, and severe weakness.

The pain can spread to the shoulders, neck or arms and may be mild to intense. Pain from a heart attack generally lasts for more than 30 minutes, and may continue for several hours. The longer the pain lasts, the greater the risk of muscle damages.

Almost always, heart attacks are life threatening and require immediate attention. Rapid treatment reduces the risk of sudden death and prevents long-term complications.

The Differences: Heart attack pain can sometimes feel like indigestion or heartburn; however, they must be recognised and treated as quickly as possible because once a coronary artery is blocked, the heart muscle will die within four to six hours. Knowing the signs and symptoms are crucial to the most positive outcomes after having a heart attack. Those who survive can work to reduce their risk of another heart attack in the future by closely following the advice of your Medical Professional.