Crunch Time!

Spot Stroke before it’s too late

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Rapidly treating a mini-stroke, or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), reduces the risk of a major stroke by 80  percent according to a study by Oxford’s Radcliffe Hospital. Someoen who suffers a TIA has similar symptoms to a stroke but the symptoms may only last a few minutes.

According to the World Heath Organization, heart disease and strokes kill more

than 12 million people globally each year.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Ignoring them, however, can esult in a major stroke following within three months. the Stroke Association uses the FAST test to diagnose whether someone is having a stroke or TIA :

• Facial weakness - can the person smile, has the person’s mouth/eye dropped ?
• Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms ?
• Speech problems - can they speak clearly and understand what you say ?
• Test all three symptoms. If he or she fails any of these tests,call emergency so they can receive treatment quickly at a hospital and damage to the brain can be reduced.

How to Prevent Heart Disease

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Women Seem to underplay their symptoms and tend to self-medicated before seeking help

Only 35 percents of women with heart disease have the typical symptom of angina

Tips on how to prevent it

• Don’t Smoke – this is the single most important things you can do for your heart.
• Have your blood pressure checked periodically
• Watch your cholesterol levels
• If you have diabetes,it should be treated and controlled
• Eat a healthy ,low-fat diet and pay attention to your weight
• keep your Body Mass Index Number-An indicator of total body fat,based on a ratio between weight and heigh at less than 25
• Maintain a waist measurement of 35 inches or less.
• Report chest,arm,throat,shoulder,blade or jaw discomfort that comes on with with exercise and goes away with rest
• If you are 40s,50s or 60s and experience shortness of breath,report it to your doctor
• If a close relative ~ a sibling or a parent-had early heart disease(in or before the the 50s,60s for,respectively,a man or a woman),your chance of heart problems is doubled, so you must work hard to reduce other risk factors
• Exercise-take a brisk,30 minutes walk every day

Panic Attacks: A Warning Sign ?

The SYMPTOMS –pain,anxiety,shortness of breath and fear-that signal a panic attack can feel like a heart attack and doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital have found a link between the two. In a study of postmenopausal women,those who’d had a panic attack in the previous six months were four times more likely to have a heart attack in the next five years.

A panic attack may increase the risk of heart trouble by adding to changes in heart rhythm,or attacks could be a sign of unorganised heart problems,say study author Professor Jordan Smoller.Ellen Mason,cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation,says stress probably plays a part in heart disease. She advises that if you’ve never had a panic attack and you think you’re having a heart attack,go to A&E.

“Women heart attack symptoms can be different from the crunching chest pain most men experience,”says Mason.More atypical symptoms that affect women include tingling in the right arm,palpitations,pain in the jaw,arm or neck,and heartburn. RDHEALTH

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