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Hospital encourages people to make smart choices
By OBSERVER STAFF REPORTS
During the holidays, emergency rooms see an influx of people who fear the worst is happening...a heart attack.
According to Dr. Marcy Lim, medical director of the chest pain center at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital, many patients who think they’re having a heart attack have had their symptoms triggered by an overindulgence of holiday treats. While it may be a heart attack or angina, it’s also frequently just indigestion.
“Telling the difference between the symptoms of a heart attack, angina or indigestion can sometimes be close to impossible for the person suffering the pain,” said Lim. “There are some simple guidelines that can help a person make the decision to wait it out or go to the emergency room. But, if there’s ever any doubt, the rule is to err on the side of caution and get it checked out immediately.”
According to Lim, the first rule is to know the risk factors. If someone smokes, has diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, is overweight or has a family history of heart disease, they should be suspicious of any symptom related to the chest or heart.
Second, know the warning signs. The most common signals are the following:
Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center 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 lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
People should be especially concerned if the common signals are accompanied by these symptoms:
Nausea or dizziness
Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
"It’s important to remember that there is no checklist for a heart attack. Unfortunately, the symptoms of a heart attack can be different for each patient,” Lim said. "You may have all of the warning signs or your only warning may be tightness in the chest area.”
Third, know the competition. Sometimes the symptoms of reflux or common heartburn related to indigestion can look like a heart attack. If heartburn is common for someone and the symptoms they are experiencing are similar to those they have had before and nothing different has occurred, they are probably experiencing heartburn and not a heart attack.
“But if the symptoms are different and they have never experienced them before and if they are accompanied by a feeling of light-headedness or cold sweats, then that type of pain should be taken more seriously,” Lim said. “It could signal that they are having a heart attack.”
Another thing to remember is that if the pain goes away with medication, then it’s probably not a heart attack. Heart attack pain is persistent.
If anyone has a history of heart disease or carries one or more of the risk factors, it might be wise to follow a few helpful holiday tips to prevent the overindulgence that can affect their heart health, as well as pant size.
Lim offered a few tips for keeping both items in check.
Don’t feel obligated to finish every meal with dessert. But, if people must, select desserts carefully. Avoid the typical high-calorie holiday pleasures by serving up something low fat and out of the ordinary like low-fat pudding with mixed fruit on top.
Restaurant food is typically high in cholesterol and fat and loaded with salt, which can lead to high blood pressure. If the holiday celebration is at a restaurant, choose low-calorie treats, eat smaller portions and sample only one or two items instead of four or five items.
To avoid the temptation of holiday treats at the office when the tummy is grumbling at 3 p.m., keep a stash of nutritious snacks at the desk.
Be careful with liquor. The average alcoholic drink contains 150 - 200 calories per glass. Indulge in just 2-3 drinks and you’ve drunk the equivalent calories of an entire meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example, instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of wine with sparkling water or with a diet soda. This will help cut calories in half.
Commit to exercise daily even if it’s just for 20 minutes. People will probably end up doing more than that once they get started. Even if they only end up completing 10 minutes, that is better than zero minutes.
Take time to savor every bite. Eating slowly is a sure-fire way to reduce calorie intake.
Add fruits and vegetables to your plate. Filling up with healthy food leaves less room for sinful desserts.
Drinking water with food and between meals can help people fill up more quickly and they will be prone to eat less food.
Most of all, remember that the holiday season is not about food. It’s a special time of year to give thanks for what people have and to enjoy the company of family and friends.
According to Dr. Marcy Lim, medical director of the chest pain center at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital, many patients who think they’re having a heart attack have had their symptoms triggered by an overindulgence of holiday treats. While it may be a heart attack or angina, it’s also frequently just indigestion.
“Telling the difference between the symptoms of a heart attack, angina or indigestion can sometimes be close to impossible for the person suffering the pain,” said Lim. “There are some simple guidelines that can help a person make the decision to wait it out or go to the emergency room. But, if there’s ever any doubt, the rule is to err on the side of caution and get it checked out immediately.”
According to Lim, the first rule is to know the risk factors. If someone smokes, has diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, is overweight or has a family history of heart disease, they should be suspicious of any symptom related to the chest or heart.
Second, know the warning signs. The most common signals are the following:
Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center 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 lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
People should be especially concerned if the common signals are accompanied by these symptoms:
Nausea or dizziness
Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
"It’s important to remember that there is no checklist for a heart attack. Unfortunately, the symptoms of a heart attack can be different for each patient,” Lim said. "You may have all of the warning signs or your only warning may be tightness in the chest area.”
Third, know the competition. Sometimes the symptoms of reflux or common heartburn related to indigestion can look like a heart attack. If heartburn is common for someone and the symptoms they are experiencing are similar to those they have had before and nothing different has occurred, they are probably experiencing heartburn and not a heart attack.
“But if the symptoms are different and they have never experienced them before and if they are accompanied by a feeling of light-headedness or cold sweats, then that type of pain should be taken more seriously,” Lim said. “It could signal that they are having a heart attack.”
Another thing to remember is that if the pain goes away with medication, then it’s probably not a heart attack. Heart attack pain is persistent.
If anyone has a history of heart disease or carries one or more of the risk factors, it might be wise to follow a few helpful holiday tips to prevent the overindulgence that can affect their heart health, as well as pant size.
Lim offered a few tips for keeping both items in check.
Don’t feel obligated to finish every meal with dessert. But, if people must, select desserts carefully. Avoid the typical high-calorie holiday pleasures by serving up something low fat and out of the ordinary like low-fat pudding with mixed fruit on top.
Restaurant food is typically high in cholesterol and fat and loaded with salt, which can lead to high blood pressure. If the holiday celebration is at a restaurant, choose low-calorie treats, eat smaller portions and sample only one or two items instead of four or five items.
To avoid the temptation of holiday treats at the office when the tummy is grumbling at 3 p.m., keep a stash of nutritious snacks at the desk.
Be careful with liquor. The average alcoholic drink contains 150 - 200 calories per glass. Indulge in just 2-3 drinks and you’ve drunk the equivalent calories of an entire meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example, instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of wine with sparkling water or with a diet soda. This will help cut calories in half.
Commit to exercise daily even if it’s just for 20 minutes. People will probably end up doing more than that once they get started. Even if they only end up completing 10 minutes, that is better than zero minutes.
Take time to savor every bite. Eating slowly is a sure-fire way to reduce calorie intake.
Add fruits and vegetables to your plate. Filling up with healthy food leaves less room for sinful desserts.
Drinking water with food and between meals can help people fill up more quickly and they will be prone to eat less food.
Most of all, remember that the holiday season is not about food. It’s a special time of year to give thanks for what people have and to enjoy the company of family and friends.
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