Health District Stepping Up February Heart Health, Safety Efforts

By John Voket

February is American Heart Month, and Friday, February 3, is the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Day.

And since Health District Director Donna Culbert helped Newtown achieve the Heart Association’s Heart Safe Community designation last year, she is dedicating herself to every heart in Newtown, as well as those who work here, and even folks who may be just passing through.

“It is a big concern for us, because cardiovascular disease and stroke are the number one killer in Connecticut,” Ms Culbert told The Bee. “And we’re making an even bigger deal about Go Red for Women this year because heart disease remains the number one of women nationally — it kills more women than all cancers combined!”

This means mothers, sisters, and friends are dying at a rate of one per minute because they don’t know that heart disease kills, or they ignore certain warning signs that they may need help, Ms Culbert explained.

So why all of a sudden is there so much emphasis on women?

“For decades, studies and physicians focused on men’s heart health, and other heart attack symptoms went unrecognized,” the health official responded. “Only recently has heart disease come to the forefront as a serious women’s health issue. And being aware of these warning signs is important for everyone.”

Would you know if your friend, family member, or co-worker was having a heart attack?

Ms Culbert said in keeping with February’s Heart Month celebrations, the Newtown Health District and its community partners are reminding residents about the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

“Knowing and recognizing these signs are the first steps in helping someone in need of care, and could play a role in saving their life,” Ms Culbert said. “Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the ‘movie heart attack,’ where no one doubts what’s happening.”

But many people are unaware that most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected are not sure what is wrong and wait too long before getting help.

The following are signs that a heart attack can be happening:

*Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

*Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

*Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.

*Other signs, such as cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

“As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort,” Ms Culbert said. “But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, weakness, unusual fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.”

If you notice any of these symptoms, the health official said don’t delay getting help.

“Minutes count, so call 911 right away — wait no more than five minutes,” Ms Culbert said. “The longer you wait to call, the more damage could be done to the heart. Stay with the person until care arrives. Pass this information along to friends, family members, and co-workers — you never know when you could save a life.”

To learn more about how to help someone who is having a heart attack, Ms Culbert suggested residents may want to consider taking a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course.

“This course will teach you skills to help you provide emergency care to someone in cardiac arrest until professional help arrives and takes over,” Ms Culbert added. The health district will continue its healthy heart efforts throughout February with additional advice and information that will appear on the Health pages of The Bee in the coming weeks.