What You Should Do If These Signs Appear
If you have chest discomfort lasting more than 2 minutes:
- Do not deny what may be occurring.
- Call the emergency service or have a friend or family member drive you to the nearest hospital that has 24 hour emergency cardiac care. Know in advance which hospitals have such a service.
- Prominently display the telephone number of the emergency rescue service and also carry a copy with you.
Stroke: The Warning Signs
The American Heart Association suggests that people be familiar with the following warning signs:
- Temporary loss of speech or difficulty in speaking or understanding speech
- Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls
- Temporary dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
- Sudden, temporary weakness or numbness of the face, arm, and leg on one side of the body occurrence of a series of minor strokes, or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)