Heart Health

Heart disease is the 2nd leading cause of death in Canada. Know the facts, and reduce your risk through a healthy lifestyle, and early detection and management of medical conditions. 

Sign and symptoms 

In movies and TV, we often see a person turn completely white and begin to clutch their chest when they have a heart attack. While this could be the case in real life, it often is not. Many of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack are much more subtle. Here are some of the signs the CDC lists on their website: 

• Chest pain or discomfort. 
• Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach. 
• Shortness of breath. 
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats. 

Not all of these have to be present to be a heart attack. Pay attention to your body and what it is telling you. If you think you or someone around you is displaying heart attack symptoms do not brush them off . 

How to Prepare for a Heart Attack

No one plans on having a heart attack. Being prepared can be the difference in life or death for someone experiencing a heart attack. 

These are some of the ways you can be prepared: 

• Know the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack well. 
• Remember to call 911 within the first 5 minutes. Time is very important. 
• Talk about the warning signs with family, friends, and coworkers. 
• Arrange for someone to take care of your dependents if an emergency happens. 
• Create a heart attack survival card with information about your medications, allergies, doctor name, and phone number, as well as an emergency contact for you. Keep this in your wallet. 

First Aid for a Heart Attack

• Call 911. Even if it ends up not being a heart attack, it is truly better to be safe than sorry. Getting the proper medical attention quickly for a heart attack victim is their best chance to live. 
• Try to keep the person calm, and have them sit or lie down. 
• Have the person take aspirin as long as they are not allergic and are conscious to do so. 
• If the person stops breathing, you or someone else who is qualified should perform CPR. If you don’t know CPR, the 911 operator can assist you until the EMS personnel arrive.

Choose a Healthier Lifestyle

There are many different things you should or could be doing to improve your health and reduce your chance of disease. 

While it is impossible to mention all the different positive choices we could be making, here are a few: 

• Get more sleep. Most studies recommend at least seven hours. 
• Stop smoking, using tobacco, or alcohol in excess. 
• Eat less fast food or processed foods. Choose whole grains, vegetables, and lean cuts of meat.
• Stop drinking sugar-filled drinks and choose water instead. 
• Stress less. Eliminate the stressors in your life or find productive ways to cope with them. 
• Get active. Our bodies are not built to sit around!