Don’t stop the beat!
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is interrupted, typically by a blood clot, whereas a sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes it to stop beating entirely.
Sudden cardiac arrest isn’t the same as a heart attack.
If SCA is not responded to immediately, structural brain damage, or even death, can result in a matter of minutes.
Heart disease symptoms present differently in women versus men. Women often don’t recognize that the symptoms they are having are heart-related. If you have heart disease or previously had a heart attack, your risk for SCA greatly increases.
Ways to reduce or prevent sudden cardiac arrest:
- Follow up on medical care, such as routine physicals and blood tests.
- Pay attention to warning signs, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, fainting, dizziness, and flu-like symptoms, and contact your doctor if you experience them.
- Know your family history of heart disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or other cardiac conditions.
- Stop smoking- even occasional smoking takes a toll on cardiovascular health.
- Take any medication as prescribed and make sure you always have your medication with you.
- Exercise regularly. Experts recommend 150 minutes per week (20 minutes a day) of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity- or a combination of both.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet with plenty of fresh, whole foods that’s low in sodium and animal fat.
Prevention is always better than treatment- call today to book your appointment.
Call 702-9310 or click 🔗 familymedicinecenter.org/request-appointment
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