Don’t Die of Doubt
The American Heart Association and ProMedica are taking action to raise public awareness of heart attack and stroke symptoms through a campaign called “Don’t Die of Doubt” .
The campaign urges people to call 9-1-1 and seek emergency medical care at the hospital if experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or stroke.
Time matters when faced with a heart attack or stroke. Quick recognition of symptoms and treatment of these conditions can make the difference between life and death. Seconds count. The Heart Association and Promedica campaign urges all people to call 9-1-1 id symptoms of a stroke or heart attack present. Do not attempt to self-diagnose, let the professionals do the diagnosing.
Hospitals are the safest place to be during a medical emergency.
“While heart attack and stroke are common, they can present in various ways that might not always be obvious or even seem too serious,” said Dr. Kent Bishop, chief medical officer, ProMedica Physicians and Acute Care. “If individuals are experiencing even mild heart attack or stroke symptoms, we ask that they err on the side of caution and call 9-1-1 immediately. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Emergency departments are fully committed to diagnosing or ruling out these conditions and ensuring that people receive the exact care they need in a safe environment.”
Warning Signs of Heart Attack
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.
- As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
Warnings Signs of Stroke
FACE DROOPING
- Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- ARM WEAKNESS
- Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- SPEECH DIFFICULTY
- Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
- the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath. This can occur with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs. Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
For more about this campaign and community resources, visit Don’t Die of Doubt – ProMedica | American Heart Association
