Mid-South Heart Center
The Mid-South Heart Center is at 48 Medical Center Drive. Dr. Tommy Miller and Dr. Louis Cunningham practice at the clinic. For an appointment, call 731-423-8383 or 800-397-8383.
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Heart Attack Warning Signs:
Classic signs:
• Shortness of breath, particularly on exertion. Symptom may worsen even when the body is at rest.
• The need to sit up to breathe comfortably.
• Waking up suddenly, with a smothering sensation and having to sit up to catch your breath.
• Swelling, mostly in the ankles and legs. (Some call the condition dropsy because of the swelling.)
• Fatigue and lack of energy.
• Palpitations, a fluttering, racing or skipping heart.
• In extreme cases, dizziness or feeling faint.
Signs for women:
• Indigestion or gas-like pain.
• Dizziness, nausea or vomiting.
• Unexplained weakness or fatigue.
• Discomfort or pain between the shoulder blades.
• Recurring chest discomfort.
• Sense of impending doom.
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| Dr. Tommy Miller, above right, explains how the heart works to a patient. |
In fact, heart disease and heart attacks account for more than a third of all deaths, topping the combined death rates from breast, ovarian and cervical cancers. Another startling fact is that many women do not know that their symptoms can be significantly different from those of a man.
“Many women do not realize that they are as vulnerable to a heart attack as men, but they are,” says Dr. Miller, a cardiologist at the Mid-South Heart Center. “Women are less likely than men to believe they are having a heart attack and more likely to delay seeking treatment.”
Studies have shown that women may experience early signs of cardiac distress days, weeks and even months before a heart attack. Many of these, such as unusual fatigue and prolonged sleep disturbances, go unnoticed as they are not that unusual.
Other early signs can include shortness of breath during normal daily activities, indigestion and anxiety.
“Getting to know your typical aches and pains, reactions to foods and activities can help you recognize when something is different,” says Dr. Miller. “If you have risk factors for heart disease, it is especially important to be aware of how you are feeling. Any woman who experiences worrisome or unusual changes in her energy or comfort levels or sleep habits should discuss those with her physician.”
Many times women do not experience the classic acute heart attack symptoms, such as severe chest pain (see chart, at right). The most common symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue. Women often report feeling pain or discomfort in other areas before or during an attack.
Pressure, tightness, aching, or burning in the upper back, neck, shoulders, and arms or even in the jaw or throat can be signs of a heart attack. Other signs, such as stomach pain, cold sweats, dizziness, indigestion or nausea, may occur in the acute phase of a heart attack.
Women need to learn about the many different symptoms of a heart attack to ensure they seek the proper medical treatment when needed, advises Dr. Miller. The signs and symptoms may not occur in every attack, and some may go away and return.
Research has shown that women tend to ignore the signs and attribute their symptoms of a heart attack to something else.
“Heart disease is often preventable,” says Dr. Miller. “Do not discount the early signs, since many of them can occur as much as a month prior to an attack, giving you valuable time to diagnose the problem.”