Are you able to recognize the signs of a heart attack or stroke? Remember to always call 9-1-1 immediately. Recognizing and responding immediately to the signs of stroke by calling 9-1-1 or your local emergency number can significantly improve survival and recovery.
What are the five signs of stroke?
Stroke can be treated. That’s why it is so important to recognize and respond to the warning signs.
Weakness – Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary.
Trouble speaking – Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary.
Vision problems – Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary.
Headache – Sudden severe and unusual headache.
Dizziness – Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs.
Heart attack warning signs
Thousands of Canadians die from heart attacks every year because they don’t receive medical treatment quickly enough. Learn to recognize the signs of a heart attack so you can react quickly to save a life It is important to understand that warning signs can vary from person to person and they may not always be sudden or severe. Although chest pain or discomfort is the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women, some people will not experience chest pain at all, while others will experience only mild chest pain or discomfort. Others may experience one symptom, while some experience a combination.
- Chest discomfort (uncomfortable chest pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain, burning or heaviness)
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body (neck, jaw, shoulder, arms, back
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Light-headedness
If you are experiencing any of these signs, you should:
- CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately, or have someone call for you. Keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone at all times.
- Stop all activity and sit or lie down, in whatever position is most comfortable.
- If you take nitroglycerin, take your normal dosage.
- If you are not allergic or intolerant to ASA (acetylsalicylic acid, commonly referred to as Aspirin®), the 9-1-1 operator may advise you to chew and swallow one adult 325 mg tablet or two 80 mg tablets. Do not use pain medicines such as acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (commonly known as Advil®) as they are not the same as ASA (Aspirin). It is important to note that ASA won’t treat your heart attack by itself. It is essential to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number first and take ASA (Aspirin) while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive
- Rest comfortably and wait for an ambulance with emergency medical personnel to arrive.
How can I prevent heart disease?
Heart disease is preventable and manageable. Your best defense is controlling the risk factors that could lead to coronary artery disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart condition, there are treatments to help you manage your illness. You can further reduce your risk by considering these heart-healthy steps:
- Be smoke-free.
- Be physically active.
- Know and control your blood pressure.
- Eat a healthy diet that is lower in fat, especially saturated and trans fat.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Manage your diabetes.
- Limit alcohol use.
- Reduce stress.
- Visit your doctor regularly and follow your doctor’s advice.
Stroke prevention
You can’t control your family history, age, gender or ethnicity. But luckily, you can do something about other factors that could increase your risk of having a stroke such as obesity, diet, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
Stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Without oxygen-rich blood, brain cells begin to die. If the blood supply is not restored, the affected part of the brain dies, causing disability and death.
Help prevent a stroke by learning more about the risk factors you can do something about and those you can’t control.
Risk issues you can do something about
High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High blood cholesterol
- Heart disease atrial fibrillation
- Diabetes
- Being overweight
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Stress
If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart condition, there are treatments to help you manage your illness. You can further reduce your risk by considering these heart-healthy steps:
- Be smoke-free.
- Be physically active.
- Know and control your blood pressure.
- Eat a healthy diet that is lower in fat, especially saturated and trans fat.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Manage your diabetes.
- Limit alcohol use.
- Reduce stress.
- Visit your doctor regularly and follow your doctor’s advice.
© 2011, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Reproduced with the permission of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. www.heartandstroke.ca