Although the heart is considered to be one of the major organs of the body, very few people actually have an idea about what makes it, literally, tick. Here are a number of truths and myths about the heart that would definitely take you by surprise:
- Although most people believe that they would be able to say when a heart attack or cardiac arrest is about to come, that is not always true. There have been proven cases where the patient was fine one moment and then unconscious the next. This is particularly true if the patient suffered from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. However, there is only a small percentage of people who experience no symptoms whatsoever. That means, if ever you feel a tightness in your chest, or shortness of breath, do not just shrug it off and chalk it up to indigestion.
- Heart disease also poses a different set of risks as well as signs and symptoms in women and men. For example, women are less likely to experience tightness in the chest area. However, women are more prone to extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and sleep disturbance at least a month before the cardiac arrest. As women get older, the chest pain becomes an even more important predictor of an impending heart attack.
- Generally, younger people tend to have a healthier anatomy. However, when it comes to heart diseases, particularly heart attack and cardiac arrest, even younger men and women are at risk. In fact, majority of the time, women aged 40 years and above can succumb to heart attack, with a few cases even occurring around mid-30s. Some of the factors that increase the risk for these heart conditions include the presence of Type II Diabetes as well as hypertension.
- Aspirin might be good for your heart but it is not something that is always good for the body. For one, aspirin has the tendency to aggravate stomach problems. There have also been reports of women experiencing severe bleeding brought about by too much aspirin in the system. The best thing to do is to check with your doctor first if there is a need for you to take one. Keep in mind that, in majority of the cases, heart attacks and cardiac arrest can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle.
- While heart attack and cardiac arrest might be brought on by extreme physical activities, that does not mean that regular exercise is bad for you. As long as you plan your exercise correctly, you would be able to strengthen your heart, instead of putting it at risk.
- Lastly, although heart conditions can run in the family and increases the risk for a heart attack or a cardiac arrest, it is not something that is inescapable. Again, with healthy lifestyle, you can actually lower the risks that you have for developing heart conditions.
It is also a good idea to make sure that you know how to apply CPR. An alternative to learning it would be to have an AED unit in place.
