Your
heart isn't called a ticker for nothing. When it runs like clockwork,
it’s a terrific little machine. But when it doesn't, it can be a time
bomb. For the 46th Vice President of the U.S., the bomb went off – about
five times, starting with his first heart attack at age 37 and ending
in a seven-hour heart transplant procedure at age 71 in March 2012.
“Dick Cheney is a
perfect example of how much the field of cardiology has advanced over
the past 15 years,” says Marrick Kukin, M.D., the director of the Heart
Failure Program at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City and
professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University's College of
Physicians & Surgeons.
“Here
you have a guy who has had angioplasties, by-pass surgery, statins,
beta-blockers, an implanted defibrillator (it detects and treats
arrhythmias to shock the heart into a regular rhythm), a
left-ventricular assist device (it pumped blood throughout his body for
two years) and a heart transplant. All this stuff is new,” Dr. Kukin
says. “Everything we do in cardiology today was not taught when I
graduated medical school in 1982.”
All
of these breakthroughs are good news for you because as the field of
cardiology has evolved, so has doctors' understanding of crucial
symptoms patients should never dismiss, especially if you have a family
history of heart disease.
“The
heart has so many different levels of areas where you can get into
trouble. You can have ventricle problems (arrhythmias), plumbing
problems (coronary artery disease), mechanical problems (weak heart
muscle) and structural problems (ruptured aorta),” Dr. Kukin says. “If
something feels different, don't try to self-diagnose. Seek medical
attention,” he advises.
The
big question: What kind of doctor should you see? Should you call your
family doctor, or 911? Do you need a routine exam, or the E.R.? Read on
and we’ll tell you what moves to make for each symptom.
1. Crushing Chest Pain Associated With Nausea, Vomiting and Sweating
This is the
classic symptom of a heart attack. Some symptoms are very obvious, but
variations of these could be subtle. Also, keep in mind, they don't all
always spell heart attack.
YOUR
MOVE: Call your state emergency line. Even if your symptoms don’t feel life-threatening,
that’s not for you to diagnose. They could get worse fast.
2. Chest Pressure That Feels Like an Elephant is Sitting on You
People define
their experiences differently. For one person it's pain, while for the
other it's pressure. Regardless what you call that funny feeling in your
chest, don't risk it!
YOUR
MOVE: If the pressure lasts more than 20 minutes, call 911. For shorter
periods of discomfort, call your regular doc for instructions –
depending on your symptoms, she may send you to the E.R., or help set
you up for a battery of tests.
3. Back Pain That Resembles a Tearing Sensation Usually in the Upper Back
It could be a
pulled muscle. Or it could be something far more serious: a rupture of
the aorta. Jonathan Larson, the playwright who wrote the hit Broadway
musical Rent, died of a ruptured aortic aneurism.
YOUR
MOVE: If the pain starts during or after exercise or following a trauma
or injury, see your regular doctor, especially if it shifts to another
part of your body (other than your chest). If the backache comes on
unprompted and persists for more than 20 minutes, plus is accompanied by
nausea, call your state emergency line.
4. Tingling in the Arms
Another textbook
definition of a heart attack symptom. The numbing sensation starts in
your chest and radiates down your left arm. It can also appear in your
neck, right arm, teeth and stomach.
YOUR
MOVE: For tingling alone, see your regular doctor. But if it lasts for
more than half an hour and triggers other symptoms (seemingly-unrelated
to arm motion), such as dizziness and nausea, call 911.
5. Undue Fatigue While Doing Your Regular Chores
This one is very
common in women. If you're doing your usual housework or running errands
and, all of a sudden, are finding yourself feeling especially tired, it
could be a sign of a cardiac condition.
YOUR
MOVE: Make an appointment with your regular doctor immediately. It
could be aging, or stress, or even lack of sleep. But it may be
something worse. Your doctor can help find the root cause and direct
your treatment.
6. Shortness of Breath During Any Activity, Such as Walking
Another pretty
significant sign that something could be wrong. Especially when paired
with chest pain or pressure that goes away when you stop doing the
activity. Also, having trouble breathing while lying in bed is a
possible sign of heart failure.
YOUR
MOVE: Sitting upright in bed might make you feel better. If it doesn't
and you're still having trouble catching your breath or are breathing
rapidly for more than 30 minutes, call an ambulance.
7. Indigestion
Here’s one that
always throws people off. It's an easy excuse to snub the situation.
It's even more confusing when you belch and feel relief. But the truth
is, indigestion may be a serious sign of coronary disease.
YOUR
MOVE: Take two Tums, Mylanta or Nexium and then watch the clock. If the
discomfort doesn't disappear within half an hour, call your doctor and
ask whether or not you should take a trip to the E.R.
8. Swelling
Swelling, or
edema in medical terms, is caused when the heart is not pumping
adequately. If you're feeling weak and exerted while walking or have
swollen ankles, plus are experiencing difficulty lying down at night,
then you've got a whole slew of suspect symptoms.
YOUR MOVE: Make an appointment with your doctor immediately.
9. Irregular Heart Beat (Abnormal Palpitations) and Arrhythmias (a Racing Heart Beat)
These are
surefire signs that you need to go in for an evaluation. Everyone has a
little heart hiccup now and then or rapid palpitations from stress or
too much caffeine, but the key difference in danger is if this comes
with symptoms like dizziness, light-headedness, and fainting.
YOUR
MOVE: Take your pulse. Place a finger on your wrist and count the beats
for 15 seconds, then multiply by four. If it's greater than 140, call your state emergency number
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