A heart attack can be a frightening and potentially life-threatening experience. Thankfully, our 24 hour GP service in Casares will be there to support you as soon as you notice the early signs of a heart attack, improving your chances of a full recovery.
What is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to your heart is blocked or significantly reduced. This can cause severe chest pain. However, the presence of chest pain does not necessarily mean you are having a heart attack. Inversely, not all heart attacks coincide with chest pain, but it can be an early indicator, so make sure you keep an eye on it.
Your coronary arteries are the blood vessels that supply your heart. If there is a build-up of cholesterol or fatty deposits in your coronary artery, it can form a thick plaque which blocks the flow of blood. Plaque can also increase your blood pressure and force your heart to work harder, put you at a higher risk of having a heart attack.
Our 24 hour GP service in Casares can help you adapt your lifestyle to reduce your risk of a heart attack before it happens. However, if you start to notice the signs of a heart attack, you can call us at any time of the day or night, and we will be with you as soon as we can.
Heart Attack Symptoms
The most common symptoms of a heart attack that you're likely to notice early include:
- chest pain or discomfort
- pressure on your chest
- discomfort in your upper body
- pain in your left arm
- shortness of breath
- a cold sweat
- tiredness
- nausea
- feeling light-headed or dizzy.
Symptoms can vary between individuals, with some people experiencing very mild or even no symptoms at all. These instances are known as a silent heart attack.
Symptoms can also vary between men and women.
Symptoms Most Common in Women
- a sudden feeling of weakness
- shortness of breath
- body aches
- sleeping issues
- to general sense of being unwell
- nausea, vomiting, and indigestion
- jaw pain
If you start to notice any of these symptoms, call our 24 GP service in Casares immediately.
Risk factors
Certain lifestyle habits and other factors can increase your risk of having a heart attack. Some of these factors can be addressed, and these include:
- your diet
- being overweight or obese
- tuxedo
- having high blood pressure
- having high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
- having diabetes
- a lack of physical activity
- drinking too much alcohol
- stress
There are also factors that can not change or control that put you at a higher risk of a heart attack. These include:
- old age
- a family history of heart attacks
- your race or ethnicity
- your gender
- suffering from sickle cell anaemia which makes your blood 'sticky'
- having previously suffered from a heart attack
- suffering from heart disease.
Remember, the sooner you spot to heart attack and call our 24 hour GP service in Casares, the most likely the sufferer is to make a full and speedy recovery.