Personal Care at Home’s Top Three Warning Signs of Heart Problems
Heart Health: Personal Care at Home Philadelphia PA
Heart attacks, strokes, coronary heart disease, and heart failure are far more common in adults 65 and older than in younger people. Heart disease can significantly lower the quality of life and restricts activities for millions of seniors. Although there are many different types of heart disease, there are three warning signs that may indicate that seniors should see a medical professional. Personal care at home helps seniors recognize these signs and get quick help when needed.
Chest Pain and Discomfort
Chest pain is a common heart attack symptom and may also indicate heart disease. Most people who experience chest pain or discomfort before a heart attack feel tightness or pressure in the center of their chest, often described as an uncomfortable heaviness or squeezing sensation. This may be accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, and sweating.
The pain might spread to other upper body areas, such as the back, neck, shoulder, or arms. It can also radiate down one or both arms or into the jaw, neck, or stomach area. It can be mild to severe and may change over time.
Some people with heart attacks describe their chest pain as a heavy weight on their chest that makes breathing difficult. Others feel more like pressure in their chest that lasts more than a few minutes but less than half an hour. Still, others feel stabbing pains in the middle of their chests that last just seconds at a time and then subside for several minutes before returning.
Feeling Weak, Lighthearted, or Faint – Signs of a Heart Attack and Heart Disease
The same warnings that come with a heart attack may exist when alerting seniors to heart disease. This is why it is essential to have knowledgeable personal care at home for seniors who might have risk factors and live alone.
More than half of all heart attacks begin with an anxiety-like sensation called “angina,” according to the American Heart Association. Angina is thought to be caused by a lack of oxygen in the heart muscle and can be treated with medication or surgery. These symptoms can lead to the chest pains discussed above.
A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association surveyed 858 patients who experienced a heart attack within six months of the survey. Of those patients, 56% reported feeling weak or lightheaded before their heart attack. However, only 30% of this group recognized these symptoms as related to their heart.
Discomfort or Pain in Arms or Shoulders
Many people feel arm or shoulder pain before a heart attack, but it’s hard to know how many. The best estimates are that about half of people with a heart attack feel this pain. The pain can be mild, not last long, or severe and last for several hours. It may cause nausea, sweating, and dizziness, too.
Seniors who experience any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. It’s much better to be overly cautious than to be too late. Having personal care at home can help seniors quickly receive the care they need. Personal care at home professionals are also available to help seniors recover after a heart attack or to assist in decreasing risk factors by ensuring seniors are active and eat healthy meals.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home in Philadelphia, PA please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Source 1 / Source 2 / Source 3
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
- How Home Health Providers Offer Education Amidst Physical Health Changes - March 5, 2024
- Spring Activities for Seniors - February 21, 2024
- How to Help an Older Loved One with Cataracts? - February 6, 2024