Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 20)

Overcoming a heart attack—or preventing one— comes down to what you know. We help you unlock a heart-healthy future BY STEPHANIE R. CONNER Mellanie True Hills was a 51-year-old “road warrior” in the high-tech industry when her life changed. After a business trip in 2003, she felt an ache in her left shoulder and struggled to breathe. She went to her doctor and described her symptoms—symptoms that concerned Hills because she knew they were related to heart attacks. Her doctor ran an EKG and immediately sent Hills to the hospital emergency room, where a blockage in her artery was treated. “I was fortunate that I picked up on those symptoms and got in to the doctor right away,” says Hills, author of A Woman’s Guide to Saving Her Own Life and an American Heart Association advocate and volunteer. “I was treated before I actually had a heart attack. I was probably only minutes from one.” And she wouldn’t have been alone. Someone in the U.S. has a heart attack nearly every 34 seconds. Knowing the signs of a heart attack saves lives. Plus, you can take steps to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy and free of heart disease. Here are ﬁve survival strategies you need to know. SITUATION: YOU THINK YOU Survival strategy: Call 911. MIGHT BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOLIBRARY During a heart attack, the blood supply to the heart is interrupted by a blockage in one of the arteries, explains David C. Goff Jr., M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Working Group for the Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. 20 Vim & Vigor · W I N TER 2 011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil's Feature
New Hip, New Life
Building Better Heart Care
Back in Action
Supplementary Knowledge
Keys to Survival
Clearing the Air
Mark Harmon of NCIS fame makes 60 look good
This One's For the Girls
Life After a Loss
Do Your Diabetes Homework
Healthy Returns
Prime Time Health
The Future of Breast Health
Growing Generosity
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center