| You only have one heart, which pumps life supporting | | | | indicators for the health of your heart. |
| nutrients and oxygen through your body by helping to | | | | If you happen to experience any of these symptoms, |
| circulate the blood. Your heart is a specialized organ | | | | call for Emergency help or have someone drive you to |
| and deserves specialized treatment. Eat right, get | | | | the nearest hospital. Do not try to drive yourself. You |
| regular exercise, do not smoke, and knowing your | | | | put yourself at risk along with everyone else out on |
| family history are probably the best ways to avoid | | | | the roads. |
| heart disease, but even if you have followed all these | | | | • The pain in the chest has not reduced despite |
| rules you should know all about your heart and what | | | | taking 2-3 tablets of Nitroglycerin or after spraying 2 |
| to do if something goes wrong. | | | | -3 times continuously every 5 minutes |
| There are many factors that can contribute to | | | | • The pain in the chest is more severe than other |
| coronary or heart disease. By knowing what they are, | | | | times |
| you can avoid many of them and help keep your heart | | | | • Feeling of nausea, lightheadedness and |
| healthy. Contributing factors include: | | | | unconsciousness |
| • High blood pressure | | | | • Severe pain in the chest for more than 20 |
| • Diabetes | | | | minutes |
| • Overweight | | | | If you have coronary disease or your doctor thinks |
| • High cholesterol | | | | you need treatment for a warning sign of coronary |
| • History of family members with heart | | | | disease, he or she will recommend one of two options: |
| disease before reaching old age | | | | medical or surgical. If a symptom can be treated |
| • Increasing age | | | | medically, your doctor will run tests and examinations |
| • Smoking | | | | to determine the best choice for you and prescribe a |
| • Lack of regular exercise | | | | treatment. Generally these treatments include |
| Even if you have none of these factors in your life, | | | | prescription medications. If your doctor determines that |
| knowing the warning signs of coronary disease can | | | | your case is more severe, he or she will send you for |
| save your life or the life of someone you love: | | | | a consultation with a surgeon to help determine the |
| • Pain and discomfort in chest | | | | best course of treatment. |
| (uncomfortable squeezing and tightness in chest) | | | | Treatments can include a balloon stint to open a |
| • Pain in the arm, jaws and back | | | | blocked artery. Blocked arteries do not allow blood to |
| • Fatigue and shortness of breath | | | | flow freely, thus depriving part of the body of oxygen |
| • Nausea and pain in chest area | | | | and nutrients. The blockage is cleared away and the |
| The problem with coronary disease is that it can be a | | | | blood vessel is held open by a mess called a balloon |
| silent killer, and 1 out of every 3 people that suffer | | | | stint. Another treatment is bypass surgery, where a |
| from coronary disease does not show any symptoms | | | | clogged blood vessel is removed and replaced with a |
| until it is almost too late. This is why regular checkups | | | | healthy section of blood vessel from somewhere else |
| and routine tests for the heart are so important. Be | | | | in the body. Be sure to discuss with your doctor all |
| sure to follow your doctor's recommendations for any | | | | your options and what he or she feels is best for you. |
| checkups and tests to know any warning signs or | | | | |