Our body can send us many different warning signs of a potential heart attack. Knowing the early warning signs of a heart attack is critical for prompt recognition and treatment. Most heart attacks start slowly contrary to what many people think. Heart attack warning signs can vary from person to person and may even be different if you have experienced a heart attack before.  Although many people often associate chest pain or pressure as a main heart attack symptoms that is not always the case, various warning signs can occur such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heartburn/Indigestion
• Arm Pain
• Upper back pain
• Increased or irregular heart beat
• Paleness

Even though symptoms of a heart attack can be mild it is important to seek treatment immediately.

For a long time it has been known that stress can effect the heart and lead to a heart attack. It is one of many heart attack causes that we can work to prevent.  Stress is a normal part of life for everyone. Unfortunately, if it is left un-managed, stress can lead to other problems besides a heart attack including emotional, psychological and physical problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains or irregular heart beats.

There are numerous different things that you can do to help manage stress. One of the main things that you can do is make sure that you are getting enough sleep. Most individuals don’t realize how important sleep is for your body. Adults should try to get in between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. Another factor that is beneficial at reducing stress is exercising.  When we exercise our body releases more endorphins, which are the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Exercising is also a great distraction to stress in our lives. When you are running around in the middle of a football game there is hardly anytime to think about something bothering you at work.

Most people are aware of what a heart attack is but many don’t know what vulnerable plaque is and the effects it has on the heart and heart attacks. In the past doctors believed that the main cause of a heart attack was due to a buildup of fatty plaque within an artery leading to the heart. This would eventually result in the artery narrowing or becoming completely blocked by a blood clot. The lack of oxygen-rich blood to the heart would then lead to a heart attack. New research is proving that theory wrong. Researchers have now found that vulnerable plaque can be a result of inflammation in the arteries which in turn leads to the development of “soft” or vulnerable plaque which when released aggressively promotes blood clotting and can result in a heart attack.

Symptoms for heart attacks vary from person to person. Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary artery is responsible for bringing oxygen and blood to the heart. Heart attacks often occur when this flow is blocked due to a lack of oxygen.

One of the major and most prominent symptoms of a heart attack is chest pain. Some individuals may feel  pain only in their chest or it can occur in various other parts of your body including arms, shoulders, neck, stomach, or back.  This pain will generally last longer than 20 minutes. If this occurs you should contact a doctor immediately. This type of pain will often feel like a tight band around the chest, heavy pressure or bad indigestion. Some other common symptoms include:

• light-headedness
• dizziness
• nausea
• vomiting
• shortness of breath
• extreme sweating
• fainting

If you have any of these heart attack symptoms you should contact a doctor and seek care immediately.

Heart disease is a broad term that is often used to describe a wide range of diseases that affect your heart, and in some cases your blood vessels. Some different diseases that fall into this category include coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems and heart defects that an individual is born with. Heart disease is a serious problem amongst men in women throughout the world. It is more prominent than all forms of cancer combined. Heart disease is  the number one killer of men and women in the United States. There are many different steps that can be taken to help prevent heart disease. Some common cause of heart disease include:

• heart defects you are born with
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• coronary artery disease
• smoking
• heavy drinking
• stress
• drug abuse

There are many other cause that can affect both men and women.  Contact your doctor today for more information about heart disease and what you can do to help prevent it from happening to you.

There are three main steps that some heart attack specialists feel can help with heart attack prevention. Some individuals refer to them as the ABC’s of heart attack prevention. The first step:

• Avoid Tobacco

Things that fall into this category include smoking. Smoking has been proven time and time again to not only affect the heart but other important parts of the body that are crucial for survival. Smoking is something that we have control over and although it is more difficult for some people to quit, it is a necessary step in taking care of your heart and maintaining an overall healthy body.

• Be More Active

Exercising on a regular basis is important for an overall healthy body.  Exercise will help to prevent obesity and other factors that can contribute to a heart attack.

• Choose Good Nutrition

A healthy diet is one of the most important things you have to help fight against cardiovascular disease. This means both eating healthy and having the right proportions of food.  Eating healthy can affect things such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and maintaining the proper weight for your body.

Although not all heart attacks can be prevented there are steps that everyone can take towards heart attack prevention. One of the main factors that can help prevent a heart attack and other health problems is to maintain a healthy weight. This can simply be done through exercise and eating healthy which can both contribute to reducing the risks of heart attack.  Another important thing to consider is to manage your stress. Individuals who are at risk for a heart attack need to take time to relax and take good care of them selves by doing things like making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep at night.  Smoking and drinking are also two things that can have a serious harmful effects on the body. Both of these are totally controlled by you and something only you can manage.  Drinking in moderation can be okay but smoking has proven time and time again to only have negative effects on the body.  Another important thing to do is to have regular check ups with a doctor. They can help you to monitor your heart and body and make sure that you are as healthy as possible.

There are two different risk factors for heart attack, inherited ( genetic) or acquired.  Inherited or genetic risk factors are things that you are born with that cannot be changed. Although these factors cannot be changed, they can be improved with medical management and lifestyle changes. Some of these factors include:

• individuals with inherited high blood pressure
• individuals with family history of heart disease
• persons with type 1 diabetes

Acquired factors are factors caused by activities that we choose to participate in. Some of these factors include:

• cigarette smokers
• people who are under a lot of stress
• people who drink to much alcohol
• individuals overweight by 30 percent or more
• people who eat a diet high in saturated fat
• people with acquired high blood pressure
• individuals who lead a sedentary lifestyle

If you are putting your self at risk for a heart attack take the necessary steps to help put yourself out of danger and contact a doctor today.