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NC)Heart
disease is a leading cause of death for Canadian men and women.1
Chest pain (a classic symptom of angina or heart attack) occurs
when not enough blood is reaching the heart muscles due to
the narrowing of the heart's coronary arteries or complete
blockage of these arteries. Learn the signs of a heart attack
and the steps to take if you or a loved one experience these
signs:
Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the
centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or
goes away and comes back
Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms
Chest discomfort with lightheadness, fainting, sweating, nausea
or shortness of breath
Atypical chest pain, stomach or abdominal pain; nausea or
dizziness
Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
Not
all of these signs occur in every attack. Sometimes they go
away and return. If any occur, get help fast.
If
you or someone else is having heart attack warning signs,
call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Speak
to your doctor to determine your level of risk and to discuss
what measures you can take to reduce the risk of heart attack.
1
Selected leading causes of death by sex, Canada, 1997. Statistics
Canada. www.statscan.ca (November 22, 2002).
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