Heart Attack: Causes and Warning Signs

Heart attacks are fairly common — but that does not make them any less serious. At Beaufort Memorial, we know what’s at stake during a heart attack. We have earned the American College of Cardiology’s Platinum Award for treatment of heart attacks, and we are accredited by the American Heart Association’s Mission Lifeline for treatment of STEMI, the most severe form of heart attack.

During a heart attack, rapid, quality care matters. Trust Beaufort Memorial to help you through this urgent health crisis.

A coronary calcium scoring can help you identify your risk for a heart attack, and one of our board-certified primary care providers can work with you to lower your risk.

Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Heart attacks occur when oxygen-rich blood cannot get to the heart, either because a blood clot or one ore more narrowed coronary arteries has blocked or limited blood flow. Approximately 85% of heart damage occurs within the first two hours of a heart attack. Acting fast when you notice early signs of a heart attack may save your heart from lasting complications. Common warning signs include:

• Anxiety
• Chest pain, chest discomfort, sensations of pressure, squeezing, burning aching or tightness
• Fatigue
• Feeling of fullness in the chest
• Pain that travels down your arm(s)
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating or lightheadedness

Symptoms for women can vary from those in men and may be harder to recognize. Women may experience jaw and back pain, as well as nausea and other flu-like symptoms.

Also, while more than half of patients have warning signs, heart attacks may strike without notice. In fact, many people with coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease, are unaware they have the condition until they have a heart attack.

Risk Factors for Heart Attack

While some heart attack risk factors cannot be changed, such as your age, sex and family history of heart disease, you can help lower your risk through healthy lifestyle changes. Some risk factors you can control are:

• Being overweight or obese
• Drinking too much alcohol
• High cholesterol and blood pressure levels
• Lack of exercise
• Poor diet
• Smoking
• Stress

Learn more in our free guide, Protect Your Heart: Take Steps to Lower Your Risk.

Why Choose Beaufort Memorial for Heart Attack Care

At Beaufort Memorial, we have achieved national recognition for our efforts to treat heart attacks and help patients recover.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval^® for Chest Pain Center Certification

Beaufort Memorial is accredited by The Joint Commission for speed and skill in caring for patients with heart attack symptoms and other cardiac emergencies. Our protocols allow physicians to reduce time for treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack.

Faster Treatment Times

Our emergency room averages a 70-minute door-to-balloon time (the time it takes from a patient arriving at the emergency room to a doctor opening a blocked or narrowed artery) to provide lifesaving heart attack treatment. This beats the national average of 90 minutes.

Protecting Hearts With Elective PCI

Beaufort Memorial is among just a few providers in the Lowcountry certified by the state to perform elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Our board-certified interventional cardiologists specialize in this nonsurgical treatment to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow to the heart. Elective PCI can be used to prevent heart attacks as well as alleviate symptoms of other heart issues.

Comprehensive Care After a Heart Attack

Our highly trained emergency staff and cardiologists can help stabilize patients after a heart attack and, if needed, prepare them for transfer to a specialty care medical center for surgery or additional treatment.

We’re also here to help you get back on your feet and return to daily life after a heart attack or other cardiac event. Our cardiac rehabilitation program has a full team of experienced therapists devoted to your care.

Recovering from a heart attack? Download our free guide, Mending Your Heart After a Major Cardiac Event.