Recently the stress level in the Houston region and other areas affected by Hurricane Harvey have been high and this is not good for older folks. Stress causes release of “stress hormones” which rev up your body’s flight or fight response. This can trigger dormant disease ─ especially vascular disease.
Be especially aware of impending heart problems and be checked early. The heart problems characteristically present with pain on the left side of the front of the chest and may radiate down the left arm. Classical pain is described as pressure associated with difficulty breathing.
The heart and for that matter, all internal organs are monitored by the autonomic nervous system. (It would make more sense to call it the automatic nervous system). Anyhow, about one-third of people having a heart attack don’t have classical symptoms. Most often people having variant symptoms think they have stomach problems. The most common place to die from a heart attack at home is in the bathroom. As the matter of fact, even the classical heart pain is associated with nausea and vomiting. Almost all attacks produce sweating. Another aberrant site is the jaw.
Be aware that a few can have heart problems without pain which is termed “silent ischemia.” Vascular problems have sudden onsets. One minute everything is ok and the next minute you are very sick. Extra heartbeats in addition to some of the other symptoms are also common.
Stroke usually has paralysis especially of an arm or a whole side of the body. Premonitory symptoms include slurred speech, forgetting what you are saying, decreased consciousness, or severe unremitting headache.
With any of these situations, seek emergency medical care. Medical results depend on how soon therapy is started. Go directly to the LARGEST nearby hospital. Medical clinics are not equipped to adequately treat. Better still call 911.
