Is it a heart attack?
Dr Paul Martiquet, Medical Health Officer
You feel an anxiety that sooner a heart attack is recognized, the better the odds
was not there a moment ago. for the patient. Look for these signals:
Your skin is clammy and Pain: A sudden discomfort or pain that does not
you can’t seem to catch your breath. Worse, a sudden go away with rest. It may be in the chest, neck, jaw,
pain shocks you unexpectedly. You had better call 911 shoulder, arms or back and may feel like burning,
right now — you are probably having a heart attack. squeezing, heaviness or pressure. It may be chest
In 2004 there were about 75,000 heart attacks in pain that is brought on with exertion and goes away
Canada, 19,000 of which killed the person. Some with rest.
two-thirds of Canadians have at least one or more Shortness of breath is another sign, like difficulty
risk factors for coronary heart disease. Every year, breathing. Nausea with or without indigestion and
thousands die of heart attacks because they did not get vomiting is a sign, as is sweating, cool and clammy
medical treatment quickly enough. skin. And fear, anxiety and denial may also be signs
Knowing the signs and warning signals of a heart of a heart attack.
attack can mean the difference between life and death, Sometimes there are no signs at all. A “silent” MI
whether yours, or that of someone close to you. (myocardial infarction) can occur in anyone, though it
A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to occurs more often among people with diabetes.
the heart is slowed or Having recognized
stopped because of a that “it may be a heart
blockage. It can also Knowing the signs and warning attack” (better safe
occur when a coro- than sorry, by the
nary artery temporar- signals of a heart attack can mean the way), the first step
is to call 9-1-1. With
ily contracts or goes difference between life and death. help on the way, stop
into a severe spasm,
effectively shutting all activity and sit or
off the flow of blood to the heart. The length of time lie down, in whatever position is most comfortable.
the blood supply is cut off decides how much damage If there is chest pain, chew and swallow one adult
there is to the heart. 325mg ASA tablet (Aspirin) — pain medications like
Cardiac arrest is when a person stops breathing and acetaminophen and ibuprofen do not work the same
the heart stops beating. It is not a heart attack and can way and will not help in this emergency.
be brought on by a variety of causes in addition to Now, with help on the way, just sit or lie back and
heart disease including drowning, stroke, electrocu- rest comfortably as you wait for the arrival of emer-
tion and many others. gency personnel.
The signs of heart attack vary from mild to ex-
treme. They may appear singly or in combination
with others; they may even be completely absent! The
Dr Paul Martiquet is the Medical Health Officer for Rural Vancouver Coastal Health including Powell River, Sunshine
Coast, Sea-to-Sky, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.