Heart attacks - JASE Medical

Avoid A Holiday Heart Attack By doing This

Heart attacks are highest December 25th, avoid being a statistic.

Holidays can be a time of connecting with loved ones that you don’t normally connect with. It is also the time when strained relationships magnify because of family get togethers. Either way, holidays have a way of bringing on intense feelings and expectations that are rarely met in real life. Changes in health, loss of or additions of family members (passing of a loved one, marriage, birth, adoption, etc.) job loss, (or new job) and even pressure to show up at holiday gatherings when you may not be able to afford presents change the family dynamics and add additional stress to the holiday season.

Our activities and stress levels

Filling our lives with activities we really don’t want to do or have little meaning sets you up for depression and a downward spiral of emotions. Manage stress through eliminating meaningless chores and responsibilities taken on during past years. This will free you to experience a fulfilling life rooted in meaning and purpose.

Set Realistic Expectations and Priorities

Remember, you are in control

Hallmark movies, retailers and clever marketing have played on our emotions and can lead us to feel inadequate. Decide what is truly important and makes the holiday season special If you now have additional responsibilities, life changes or just don’t care for the holiday season. Don’t overextend yourself by accepting invites to parties and get togethers unless it fits into a realistic schedule.

Streamline your schedule and commitments

Let all involved know this year will be different (if it is) and why.

  • If travel is difficult, set up zoom calls to connect with family and loved ones. Zoom calls are an ideal way to connect if you or your family are dealing with a major health challenge. By doing this, you avoid extended travel, exposure to viruses and disruption to your daily schedule.
  • Invite people to your home around your schedule. Ask anyone who is sick or has been exposed to anyone ill to stay home.

Prioritize your health

Communicate your needs and what you can do that won’t stretch your limits. Overextending yourself, along with poor diet and lack of sleep can set you on a downward spiral of depressive thoughts and emotions. These emotions lower your immune system and can set you up for increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events.

  • Have your prescriptions refilled in advance. You avoid lengthy waiting times in lines, exposure to seasonal viruses, and you won’t run out at the most inopportune time. It is also a great time to use your HSA (before years end) and buy a Jase Case or refill chronic medications with Jase Daily if you haven’t already.
  • Maximize your vitamin D level, either by spending time in the sun or using supplements. Vitamin D is a powerful immune booster.
  • Avoid sugar and alcohol. Both can bring on depressive moods (which, in turn, lowers immunity).
  • Take time for yourself – go for a walk, take a hot bath, shut off the phone and read – whatever you can do to energize. Your heart and immune system will thank you for it!
  • Prioritize your mental and physical health. Eat a healthy meal before you head to festivities or get togethers. If you struggle with alcohol addiction, either avoid the activity or bring an accountability partner to support and encourage abstinence.
  • Get good quality sleep. Keep your sleep schedule as close to normal as possible. Our bodies repair and rejuvenate more during our sleep cycles than at any other time of day.
  • Cold weather puts stress on the heart. Layer clothing, and pace yourself when engaging in outdoor activities.

Men and women can have a different set of symptoms during a heart attack. Download and print this pdf. Hang it in a highly visible spot of your home. Don’t ignore symptoms by wishing them away. The sooner you seek help the higher your chances of survival.

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Recent Posts

Keeping you informed and safe.

Low-Cost and No-Cost Emergency Preparedness Measures

Low-Cost and No-Cost Emergency Preparedness Measures

Small steps today, mean a safer tomorrow for you and your loved ones. Low-Cost and No-Cost Emergency Preparedness So far in our series for National Preparedness Month this September, we've already covered How to Make an Emergency Plan for Your Household and How to...

read more
How to Build A Home Emergency Kit

How to Build A Home Emergency Kit

A thoughtfully crafted emergency kit can become a lifeline for your family after a disaster. How to Build a Home Emergency Kit In an unpredictable world, being prepared for emergencies is not just a precaution—it's a necessity. A well-stocked home emergency kit can be...

read more
How to Make an Emergency Plan for Your Household

How to Make an Emergency Plan for Your Household

Planning is the difference between panic, and preparedness.  How to Make an Emergency Plan for Your Household When disaster strikes, the difference between panic and composure often comes down to one thing: preparation. While we can't predict emergencies, we can...

read more
What to Do if Your Medication is Out of Stock?

What to Do if Your Medication is Out of Stock?

You depend on your medications, but what if you can't get them?   Navigating Prescription Stockouts Being prepared could save your life. In recent years, prescription drug shortages have become an increasingly common and distressing problem for patients across...

read more

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!

Medical Emergency – Heart Attack

Heart disease, a term used to describe a variety of heart conditions, is the number 1 killer of men and women in the US.

 Examples of heart disease include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Angina
  • Unstable angina
  • Valve disease
  • Arrhythmia
  • Heart failure
  • Congenital and inherited heart conditions
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Sudden cardiac arrest
  • Heart attack (myocardial infarction-MI)

Out of all the above conditions, heart attack leads as the number 1 cause of death in men and women in the US.

 Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack resulting in about 805,000 people in the United States. Of these, 605,000 are a first heart attack.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack occurs when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. The heart muscle is robbed of its vital blood supply and if left untreated, will begin to die because of lack of oxygen.

The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart muscle.

Causes of heart attack

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of heart attacks. Coronary arteries send blood to the heart. It is sometimes called coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease. CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the coronary arteries. Plaque is made up of deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin. As plaque builds up in the arteries, the artery walls become thickened, hard and narrow over time, which can partially or totally block the blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis takes about five years to develop.

Another less common cause is coronary spasm during this coronary spasm, your arteries restrict or spasm on and off, cutting off the blood supply to your heart muscle (ischemia). It can happen while you’re at rest and even if you don’t have serious coronary artery disease. Some causes of coronary spasm are extreme cold, smoking, stress, pain. Cocaine, methamphetamine

Most heart attacks occur when the hardened, built-up plaque shell cracks and ruptures. Platelets, a part of the blood that helps blood clot, come to the ruptured area, and form a clot. If the clot is large enough it can block the artery and block oxygen rich blood from reaching the heart. Without adequate oxygen the heart muscle starts to die, resulting in a heart attack. The hearts’ ability to pump declines depending on where and how much scar tissue develops.

Luckily, most heart attacks are survivable, with about a 90 percent survivability rate. These statistics are due to early intervention and prevention awareness.

Symptoms can vary between men and women

Symptoms of an impending heart attack can manifest up to a month to days and even hours before. Symptoms include:

  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Abdominal pain
  • Sweating
  • Swelling in Legs, Ankles, and Feet
  • Heart Palpitations

Symptoms of heart attack in progress

  • Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back.
  • Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
  • Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
  • About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent—the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it.

What to do if heart attack suspected- ACT QUICKLY

  • Call 911 immediately, quick intervention is key to survival- if in doubt, call. Many people avoid calling until heart attack is well under way.
  • Aspirin or no aspirin? Don’t give aspirin unless directed by emergency personnel or care provider. There are several reasons not to give aspirin, one being the increased risk of bleeding, another is allergy to aspirin and even interaction with other medications.
  • Keep calm, reassure patient, stay with them until help arrives
  • If the person is unconscious, no pulse and/or not breathing, initiate CPR, continue until help arrives. Brain death occurs 10 minutes after 10 minutes with no oxygen
  • If a defibrillator (AED) is available hook up patient and follow prompts- remove patient from liquid, metal surfaces and to a safe area. Know how and when to use the AED through previous training. A heart attack can spiral into a sudden cardiac arrest. If the patient has a pacemaker, do not apply pads directly over the pacemaker. Also do not apply pads over medical patches.

How heart attack diagnosed

  • Blood test- troponin level measures the amount of proteins in the blood. During a heart attack, heart muscle cells die and release proteins in the bloodstream.
  • EKG measures the electrical activity of the heart
  • Heart imaging tests such as cardiac CT scan

Risk factors for heart attacks

Note: Risk factors are the same for silent heart attacks as their symptomatic counterparts

  • Brush your teeth, get regular dental exams-The link between periodontal pathogens and cardiovascular disease (CVD) Recent studies have linked periodontal pathogens with atherosclerotic plaque in 80% of specimens, meaning that periodontal bacteria (among others) were identified in 80% of plaque in carotid artery specimens. (Atherosclerotic plaques leading to atherosclerosis)
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetic– adults with diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke
  • Smoker
  • Overweight
  • Physical inactivity
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Stress, especially chronic stress
  • Even young and healthy population can experience heart attack

Prevention

Lifestyle

  • Manage and reduce stress- Deep breathing, therapy, talking to friends and loved ones can significantly reduce and manage stress
  • Maintain healthy cholesterol levels through diet, exercise and stress management
  • Exercise regularly- consult your care provider regarding type, how often and how much exercise
  • Healthy diet-eliminate sugar, consult with your provider the ideal diet for you and your preexisting diagnosis and meds.
  • Quit smoking- smoking constricts blood vessels, and chemicals in cigarettes can cause the blood to thicken and form clots.
  • Brush teeth twice a day, replace toothbrushes as needed. Oral bacteria has been found in the fatty deposits of people with atherosclerosis.
  • Drink your water! Dehydration can cause your heart to beat faster, cause an irregular heartbeat or even palpitations. In addition, dehydration makes your blood thicker and constricts blood vessel walls. This can cause high blood pressure and put strain on your heart.

Meds

Along with preventative lifestyle choices it may be necessary to add medication(s). Some of these include:

  • Over the counter meds such as aspirin- consult provider before using
  • Beta blockers-some examples include- atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) propranolol (Inderal). Beta-blockers-block the effects of adrenaline, which comes on in response to stressful situations.
  • Ace inhibitors- some examples include- benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril-(Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Zestril and Prinivil), qinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace). ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors prevent the body from producing the artery-constricting hormone angiotensin. Arteries relax with ACE inhibitors which in turn lowers blood pressure.
  • Prescription blood thinners-examples include warfarin, clopidogrel
  • Statins- some examples include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol XL), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol- Statins lower LDL cholesterol, reduce inflammation.

- Brooke Lounsbury, RN

Medical Content Writer

Lifesaving Medications

Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected.

Recent Posts

Keeping you informed and safe.

Join Our Newsletter

Our mission is to help you be more medically prepared. Join our newsletter and follow us on social media for health and safety tips each week!