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)