PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Most people know the symptoms of a heart attack, but there are warning signs that can help you avoid the problem.
Sometimes the classic signs of a heart attack are clear and unmistakable: pressure in the chest, pain radiating down the arm or into the jaw. In other cases, the signs can be more vague, with nausea and intense perspiration or a feeling that something isn’t just right. But most people who have heart attacks will say there were warning signs they could have missed — like shortness of breath or extreme fatigue.
Remember: A heart attack is caused by a decreased flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. The blood vessels can be clogged, but other blood vessels like those that go to the legs or other parts of the body can be damaged as well.
Pain or cramps in the legs while walking might be a warning sign that the vessels to the heart are damaged as well. Listen to your body and heed the warnings.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.