Early Symptoms of Heart Attack or Stroke

Heart disease is the leading cause of death of both men and women in the United States. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Early symptoms of heart disease and stroke may differ between men and woman and by the severity of the event. Symptoms of heart disease and stroke should not be ignored and require urgent medical attention.

Significance

• According to the National Center for Health Statistics, heart disease and stroke killed more than 800,000 Americans in 2005. Heart disease and stroke have identifiable symptoms when an event is taking place. Identification of the early signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke may decrease the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke and reduce the disability that results from having a heart attack or stroke.

Types

• Symptoms of heart attack and stroke affect many parts of the body.
  Respiratory symptoms of heart attack include sudden shortness of breath and sweating.
  Neurological symptoms of heart attack and stroke include dizziness, confusion, fatigue, numbness on one side of the body, paralysis of one side of the face, sudden severe headache, anxiety, vision trouble, difficulty speaking or understanding words and lack of balance and coordination.
  Cardiac symptoms of a heart attack include pain in the jaw, chest and neck, fainting and rapid heartbeat.
  Gastrointestinal symptoms include heartburn, abdominal and stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.

Time Frame

• Some early symptoms of heart attack and stroke may build up over time, while others may come on suddenly and last only a short while. Early symptoms of a stroke require prompt treatment. Some types of stroke may be treatable with a medication, but the medication is only effective within 3 hours of the onset of symptoms.

Features

• Symptoms of stroke have a sudden onset and only occur once the stroke has begun. Symptoms of a stroke that go away may be diagnosed as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, treatment for a mini-stroke may reduce the chances of having a major stroke in the future. Symptoms of a heart attack may not be obvious and can differ by the severity of the heart attack.

Considerations

• If someone is showing symptoms of a stroke, it is important to remember the time the symptoms began. The symptoms of heart attacks can easily be confused with indigestion or excessive physical activity and should not be ignored, especially if they last for more than a few minutes. A person with early symptoms of heart disease or stroke should not drive herself to the hospital but should instead call 9-1-1 or be driven by someone else.

Misconceptions

• Men and women may have different symptoms of heart attacks. According to the Mayo Clinic, women are more likely to have symptoms other than chest pain during the early stage of a heart attack, such as difficulty breathing, sweating, fatigue, back and neck pain and vomiting. Because women may not identify those symptoms with having a heart attack, they are less likely to go to the emergency room or receive treatment. Some women may not have any chest pain at all during a heart attack.

Warning

• Treatment for the early symptoms of stroke or heart attack should not be delayed. The sooner a person with a stroke or heart attack is treated, the less likely he is to be disabled or to die as a result. Even if a person is not sure of his symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention.