February Is American Heart Month
Sandra Untch, School Nurse
Heart Attack
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A HEART ATTACK
- chest discomfort
- discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as, one or both arms, the back, the jaw, neck or stomach
- shortness of breath
- may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness
- Call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately
Stroke
STROKE WARNING SIGNS
- 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?
- Time to call 9-1-1 If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
High Blood Pressure
- Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing outwards on your arterial walls. It is usually measured as two numbers, such as, 120/80 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic)
- When your resting blood pressure is consistently 140/90 or greater then you may be diagnosed with high blood pressure by your doctor
- High blood pressure (HBP), also called hypertension, most of the time has no symptoms
- Some people do experience headaches, facial flushing or dizziness
- When HBP goes untreated, it damages arteries and vital organs in our bodies. This is why it is called the "silent killer"
- The good news is that high blood pressure can be managed through lifestyle changes and prescribed medication!